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https://archive.org/details/autobiographical00ange_0 


] ’RESIDENT  and  Founder  of  "The  American  Humane  Education  Society ;” 
President  and  one  of  the  Founders  of  “ The  Massachusetts  Society 
for  the  Prevention  of  Cruelty  to  Animals;”  President  and  one  of 
the  Founders  of  the  First  “ American  Band  of  Mercy.” 

Four  different  photographs  of  the  writer  of  this  hook  have  appeared  in  various 
American  and  European  publications:  the  first  in  “ The  Animal  World,”  London, 
♦June,  1 S7‘2 ; republished  in  others;  the  second  in  "Our  Dumb  Animals,”  Boston,  Sep- 
tember, 1ST'.);  republished  in  others ; the  third  in  “ Hill's  Album  of  Biography  ” Chicago, 
1888;  and  the  fourth  in  »' Dio  Lewis's  New  York  Monthly ,”  November,  1888 ; republished 
in  others.  The  last,  which  is  said  by  the  writer’s  wife  ami  various  personal  friends 
to  be  much  the  best,  is  given  above. 


“ JV  TL  DESPERANDTJM” 

(The  Writer’s  Motto  Adopted  in  Yonth.) 


PUBLISHED  BY 


“lie  American 


19  MILK  STREET,  BOSTON, 


» 


AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES 

AND 

PERSONAL  RECOLLECTIONS 


BY 

GEO.  T.  ANGELL, 

President  of  the  American  Humane  Education  Society , the  Massachusetts 
Society  for  the  Prevention  of  Cruelty  to  Animals , and  the  Parent 
American  Band  of  Mercy , 19  Milk  Street , Boston. 


PUBLISHED  FOR  THE  USE  OF  HIS  FRIENDS  AND  ALL  WHO  CARE 
TO  READ  THEM. 

Price  at  the  Society's  Offices  SIX  CENTS.  When  sent  hy  mail  TEN  CENTS. 


A HIGHER  HAND. 

<c  A little  boy  sat  in  front  of  his  father,  and  held  the  reins  that  con- 
trolled a restive  horse.  Unknown  to  the  boy , the  reins  passed  around 
him  and  were  also  in  his  father’s  hands.  He  saw  an  occasion  to  pull 
them.  With  artless  simplicity  the  child  looked  around,  saying, 
c Father,  I thought  I was  driving  ; but  I am  not , am  I ? ’ Thus  it  is 
often  with  men  who  think  they  are  shaping  a destiny  which  a higher 
hand  than  theirs  is  really  directing.  They  do  their  own  will  because 
it  is  also  the  will  of  God.  A stronger  hand  guides  them  ; a mightier 
power  holds  the  helm  of  their  vessel , and  saves  from  rock  and  wreck. 
Happy  are  they  who  yield  to  the  guidance  of  the  Almighty  hand” 


CONTENTS 


ro 

(VO 


Photograph 
Motto,  etc. 

Father 
Mother 
Doyhood  . 

.'Seeking  Fortune 
A Pleasant  Partnership 
Incidents  of  Law  Practice 
Incidents  in  Teaching 
Class  History  . 

Fondness  for  Animals 
Will  .... 

Cruelties  . 

Horse-race 

Mrs.  William  Appleton 
Organization  of  Massachusetts 
Almost  Providential 
Our  Dumb  Animals,  the 
Again  Providential  . 

Death 

The  Power  of  Hope 
•Prosecuting  Agents  and  Writers 
First  Prosecution 
Health 

First  Drinking-fountains 
Europe 

John  Colam,  T.  B.  Smithies,  and  the  Royal  Society 
First  Meeting  with  Directors  of  Royal  Society 
The  Baroness  Burdett-Coutts . 

Paris 

The  French  Society 


Firs 


Society 


of  its  K 


nd 


PAGE. 

Frontispiece 

Title 

1 
2 
2 

3 

4 
4 
6 
7 
7 

7 

8 
8 
9 

11 
13 
13 
15 

15 

16 
18 
18 
19 

19 

20 
20 
21 
21 

23 

24 


5 *4d5 


VI 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE- 

Switzerland 25* 

The  Congress  at  Zurich 26' 

Naming  “ The  Animal  World  ” 27 

Down  the  Rhine 27 

The  First  “Animal  World” 28 

V ersailles 28 

Italy,  Bavaria,  Austria,  Prussia 29 

Hiram  Powers 29 

Keeping  Warm 30’ 

Venice 

Munich.  — Burials  of  the  Dead 30 

Vienna 31 

Berlin 31 

Good-by  to  Paris  . . 32: 

John  Colam 32: 

The  Ladies’  Humane  Educational  Committee  ......  33: 

Prizes  in  Schools 33, 

Home 3$ 

Last  Letter  from  England 34 

One  Thing  More 30 

First  “Band  of  Mercy”  in  the  World . .30 

Impressions  of  England 3T 

Chicago 3T 

Illinois  Humane  Society 38: 

1871  39 

First  Church  in  America.' 39' 

1872  40 

Essay  on  Cattle-transportation 40 

The  Check-rein  Essay  . . . .40 

Marriage 40' 

1873  41 

First  Law  on  Overloading 41 

United-States  Mails  in  Locked  Wagons  . . . . . . .41 

Five  Questions  answered 41 

Humane  Methods  of  killing  Animals . 41 

First  Teachers’  Convention  in  America  .......  41 

1874  42- 

First  Lectures  and  Addresses  in  America 43 

“Protection  of  Animals” .43 

Director  of  American  Social  Science 44 

1875  44 

First  College 44 


CONTENTS. 


vii 

PAGE. 

Four  Experiences 44 

Crime 45 

1876  46 

Lecture  on  Crime 46 

A New  Order  of  Chivalry 46 

The  Hayes  Election 47 

National  Unitarian  Conference 47 

Experiences  at  Detroit  ...........  48 

At  Chicago  48 

The  Smallest  Audience 48 

1877  49 

A Funny  Incident 49 

■Colonization 50 

Crimes  against  Public  Health 50 

Marbleized  Iron-ware 50 

Poisonous  Wall-papers 52 

Hydrophobia 52 

Legions  of  Honor 53 

The  Labor  Question 53 

1878  54 

A Busy  Year  54 

Bleeding  Calves 54 

Live-Stock  Bing 54 

Warning  the  Granges 55 

■Old  Prison  at  Charlestown 55 

Communism 55 

Marett  Tract 55 

The  Governor  of  Vermont 55 

Southern  Trip.  — Baltimore  56 

How  D.  L.  Moody  helped  the  Animals 56 

Biclimond 57 

National  Grange 57 

President  Hayes 58 

Washington 58 

Monument  to  Yellow-fever  Heroes 58 

1879  59 

Some  of  the  Hardest  Work  of  my  Life 59 

The  War  on  Adulteration 59 

The  Chemists 60 

Ten  Days  in  “Boston  Herald ” 61 

What  the  Papers  said  61 

Citizens’  Trade  Association 62 


viii  CONTENTS. 

PAGE- 

Shooting  Live  Pigeons  for  Sport 62 

The  Clergy 68 

The  First  Conviction  in  the  World 64 

Strike  Again 64 

Saratoga  Humane  Society 65 

Detroit  and  Chicago 65 

Most  Important  Evidence 65 

Milwaukee 66- 

Wisconsin  Humane  Society  . . . . . ...  . .66 

Minneapolis 66 

Ladies’  Moral  and  Humane  Education  Society 66 

1880  6T 

The  War  on  Adulteration  continued .. . . . 6T 

The  Battle  with  the  Chemists  at  Saratoga 68 

National  Grange 69 

President  Hayes 60s 

Boston  Board  of  Trade  ....  * 69 

To  Washington 69 

Why  I stopped  at  Hartford 69 

Philadelphia .79 

The  Campaign  at  Washington 79 

1881  71- 

Sunshine.  — A Society  P.  C.  A 71- 

The  Yellow-fever  Committee 72.' 

Petition  to  Congress 78 

Solid  Ground 78 

The  Reverend  Clergy 78 

Circulate  the  Report 74 

President  Garfield  shot . .74 

Ten  Lessons  on  Kindness  to  Animals 75 

Boston  Clergy  on  Adulteration 75> 

American  Humane  Association 76 

Vivisection 76- 

Moral  and  Humane  Education  Society 76- 

Boston  Grocers 76- 

1882  76 

Clergy,  Grocers,  and  Law 76 

A Narrow  Escape  for  Life 7T 

( ‘Our  Dumb  Animals” 78: 

American  Band  of  Mercy 78 

Rev.  Thomas  Timmins 78 

The  First  Band 78- 


CONTENTS.  ix 

PAGE 

The  Governor,  Mayor,  Chief  Justice,  etc * 79> 

Notable  Incidents 80 

Pox-hunt 80 

Mount  Auburn  . . 80 

1883  80 

Protection  from  Pire . . .81 

Impure  Water  82 

American  Teachers’  Bands  of  Mercy 82 

The  Happiest  Day 82 

1884  82 

Crowded  Streets 83 

Philadelphia  Police . • 83 

Washington  School  Committee 84 

National  Meeting  of  School  Superintendents  . . . . . .84 

Three  Thousand  Boston  Drivers 85 

1884  (continued) 80 

1885  87 

1886  88* 

1887  90 

1888  91 

1889  92 

1890  . 93 

The  “ Uncle  Tom’s  Cabin  ” of  the  Horse 94 

“ Black  Beauty  ” Attacked  96 

1891  -98 

One  hundred  and  seventeen  millions  and  eighty  thousand  pages  . . .90 

Our  Anti-vivisection  Priends 100,  102 

How  the  Ellen  M.  Gifford  Fountain  Came  to  be  Built 103 

The  Whole  in  a Nutshell 104 

Thoughts  for  Teachers  and  Clergymen 105 

“From  the  Mountains  to  the  Sea” 108 

Our  Minister  to  Chili  shot,  and  War  inevitable 109 

Angel  — Angel 116 

Preaching  the  Gospel 116 

Neutral  Flag 116 

Humane  Literature Ill 

Letter  to  the  Presidents  of  all  American  Universities  and  Colleges  112,  114 

Autobiography 115 

Immortality  of  Animals 116 

Doctors . 117 

Diaries * • • • 117 


X 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

$leep  • ....  Ilf 

Finis 117 

APPENDIX  CONTENTS. 

Photograph  and  Brief  Sketch 1 

The  Magnitude  of  our  Work 4 

Will  it  Pay  ? 6 

The  Great  Problem  : the  Labor  Question 8 

In  Tremont  Temple,  Oct.  19,  1881  . . . . . . . .15 

Before  the  New  England  Assembly,  Aug.  31,  1882  15 

Transportation,  Slaughtering,  Vivisection,  and  Treatment  of  Animals  in 

Winter  ............  16 

Our  Band-of- Mercy  Badge 18 

My  Canary  Bird 19 

We  have  lost  a Friend 20 

One  of  the  Best  Friends  of  our  Cause 21 

How  can  we  stop  Wars  ? 21 

How  to  teach  God  and  Immortality 22 

The  New  Order  of  Mercy  ; or,  Crime  and  its  Prevention  . . . .23 

Sentiment,  Sentimental 34 

Our  American  Humane  Education  Society  and  this  Autobiography  . . 35 


Autobiographical  Sketches. 


I am  now  (June,  1883)  sixty  years  of  age,  and  my  time  pretty 
fully  occupied  with  public  and  private  duties  ; but  believing  I may 
write  some  things  of  interest  to  my  friends,  and  perhaps  of  service 
to  others,  and  which,  if  I do  not  write,  will  never  be  written,  I have 
concluded  to  give  to  their  writing  such  spare  moments  as  I may  be 
nble  to  find. 

Thoughtful  people,  in  advanced  years,  sometimes  erect  in  quiet 
spots  headstones  or  monuments  on  which  to  inscribe  words  to  be  read 
by  those  who  come  after  them.  I believe  I can  do  no  better  in  this 
direction  than  to  give  in  this  volume,  to  some  extent,  my'  connection 
with  the  early  history  of  the  protection  of  animals  in  America,  and 
some  other  work  I have  attempted  to  do. 

I was  bom  at  Southbridge,  Worcester  County,  Mass.,  June  5,  1823. 

FATHER. 

My  father  was  the  Rev.  George  Angell,  formerly  of  Providence, 
R.I.,  but  who  for  many  years  was  pastor  of  the  Baptist  Church  at 
Southbridge,  which  under  his  care  grew  from  a feeble  to  a large  and 
prosperous  church.  He  died  Feb.  18,  1827,  at  Southbridge,  aged  41, 
leaving  no  other  child.  On  his  tombstone  at  Southbridge,  erected  by 
bis  church  and  society,  are  engraved  these  words  : 44  He  was  a good 
man,  and  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  much  people  was  added  to  the 
Lord.”  A sketch  of  his  life  will  be  found  in  “The  Annals  of  the 
American  Baptist  Pulpit,”  by  William  B.  Sprague,  D.D.,  published 
by  Robert  Carter  & Brothers,  530  Broadway,  New  York,  in  1860. 
One  experience  of  my  father’s  was  this : Many  years  before  he  died, 
be  was  taken  suddenly  and  violently  ill,  was  pronounced  by  his 
physician  dead,  and  preparations  had  been  made  for  his  funeral  and 
• ' l 


2 


AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


burial ; when  he  fortunately  regained  consciousness.  This  experience 
of  his  has  led  me  to  always  carry  in  my  pocket  a request  that  I may 
never  be  buried  until  my  body  begins  to  decay ; also,  to  provide,  in 
my  will  and  elsewhere,  for  a post-mortem  examination  before  burial 
that  shall  make  death  certain. 

MOTHER. 

My  mother  was  Rebekah  Thorndike,  youngest  daughter  of  Lieut. 
Paul  Thorndike  of  Tewksbury,  Mass.  She  was  teaching  a private 
school  at  Worcester,  Mass.,  when  she  became  acquainted  with  my 
father.  Most  of  the  small  property  she  brought  to  my  father  was 
lost  by  the  failure  of  a man  whom  they  had  trusted ; and  after  his 
death  she  again  taught  private  schools  for  young  ladies  in  Salem, 
Mass.,  and  various  other  places,  and  otherwise  exerted  herself  to 
maintain  us  both,  and  educate  me.  She  was  distinguished  for  charit- 
able deeds  and  religious  devotion.  During  a large  part  of  her  life,  it 
was  her  custom  to  spend  two  hours  daily  in  silent  prayer  in  a room 
by  herself  alone.  No  man  ever  had  a better  mother.  A sketch  of 
her  life,  written  by  her  pastor,  will  be  found  in  “The  Christian 
Watchman  and  Reflector,”  Boston,  Mass.,  Aug.  6,  1868.  He  sa}’s, 
“ Her  ruling  passion  was  to  do  good,  and  many  are  the  poor  who  will 
rise  up  and  call  her  blessed.”  She  died  June  15,  1868,  at  Townsend, 
Vt.,  aged  seventy-nine  years,  eight  days,  and  was  there  buried. 

BOYHOOD. 

As  my  father  left  little  property,  and  it  became  necessary  for  my 
mother  to  teach,  and  otherwise  constantly  exert  herself  as  before 
stated,  I was  during  boyhood  kept  much  of  the  time  in  various  coun- 
try places  in  Massachusetts,  New  Hampshire,  and  Vermont,  with  rela- 
tives, friends,  and  others.  When  about  fourteen  years  old,  a place 
was  obtained  for  me  in  a large  dry-goods  house  in  Boston,  where  I 
remained  about  two  years  and  a half.  My  mother  then  determined 
to  endeavor  to  give  me  a college  education  ; and  I was  placed  at  an 
academy  at  Meriden,  N.H.  (that  being  a school  where  the  expenses- 
were  very  small),  to  fit  for  college.  I fitted  there  for  college,  and 
entered  Brown  University  at  Providence,  R.I.,  in  the  fall  of  1842. 
Here  I remained  one  year,  when  finding  that  the  expenses  were  more 
than  I could  afford,  and  that  I could  not  be  permitted  to  teach  win- 
ters, I went  to  Dartmouth  College,  and  remained  there  the  succeed- 
ing three  years,  graduating  July  30,  1846.  While  in  college,  I 
devoted  a large  portion  of  my  time  to  reading,  writing,  and  speaking. 
During  my  junior  year  I presided  over  one  of  the  large  college  soci- 


SEEKING  FORTUNE . 


8 


eties,  numbering  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  students  ; one  of  my 
duties  being,  at  the  close  of  each  weekly  discussion,  to  review  the 
arguments  presented,  and  decide  the  question. 

I was  also,  in  company  with  some  half-dozen  of  my  class,  elected 

■"a  member  of  the  “ Alpha  Delta  Phi  ” Society,  well  known  to  college 
students  in  the  United  States,  and  gave  much  time  to  the  exercises  of 
that  society.  By  teaching  school  winters,  and  with  what  help  my 
good  mother  was  able  to  give  me,  I succeeded,  by  great  economy,  in 
getting  through  college  with  a debt  of  between  two  and  three  hundred 
dollars  to  a wealthy  relative,  Mr.  James  P.  Thorndike  of  Boston, 
which,  from  the  money  first  earned,  I paid  in  full  with  interest. 

After  graduation  I spent  a few  weeks  with  my  mother,  who  was 
then  residing  in  Vermont,  writing  to  persons  in  various  States  to  find 
some  suitable  employment. 

SEEKING  FORTUNE. 

Failing  in  this,  I started  in  the  night  stage,  Monday  evening,  Aug. 
31,  1846,  with  a mother’s  blessing,  and  a little  money  furnished  by 
her,  to  seek  my  fortune.  I had  wealthy  and  influential  relatives  in 
Massachusetts,  but  felt  unwilling  to  ask  their  assistance,  preferring  to 
paddle  my  own  canoe.  On  my  way  to  Boston,  I stopped  at  several 
places  with  no  success.  But  on  my  arrival  at  that  city,  a good  uncle 
in  Salem  without  solicitation  offered  me  a place  in  his  law-office,  and 
board  in  his  family ; and  the  Hon.  Richard  Fletcher,  judge  of  the 
Supreme  Judicial  Court  of  Massachusetts,  a cousin  of  my  mother’s, 
soon  after  aided  me  in  obtaining  a situation  as  teacher  in  a Boston 
school,  and  offered  me  the  use  of  his  law  library.  I taught  about 
three  years,  day-times,  and  studied  law  nights  and  vacations,  except 
that  for  about  one  year,  because  of  overwork,  I could  use  my  eyes  bi)t 
very  little. 

«•«-  During  this  time  I had  paid  my  college  debt  with  interest,  partly 
supported  my  good  mother,  and  had  accumulated  about  twelve  hun- 
dred dollars.  The  next  two  years  I passed  in  the  office  of  Charles  G. 
Loring,  Esq.,  one  of  the  most  eminent  lawyers  and  counsellors  of 
Boston,  and  at  the  Harvard  University  Law  School.  I was  admitted 
to  the  bar,  Dec.  17,  1851.  Very  soon  after,  through  the  kind  recom- 
mendation of  Mr.  Loring,  I was  offered  a three-years’  partnership 
with  Benjamin  F.  Brooks,  Esq.,  one  of  the  most  successful  lawyers  of 
the  Suffolk  bar ; and  soon  afterwards,  through  the  kindness  of  Judge 
Fletcher,  I was  offered  a partnership  with  the  Hon.  Samuel  E.  Sewall, 
a very  learned  and  eminent  member  of  the  same  bar.  Mr.  Sewall 
was  a prominent  abolitionist,  had  been  for  several  years  abolition 


4 


A UTOBIOGRA  PHICAL  SKETCHES . 


candidate  for  governor,  and  was  at  that  time  unpopular  with  all  who 
believed  in  sustaining  American  slavery.  I was  told  that  if  I became 
his  partner,  my  prospects  as  a lawyer  would  be  ruined,  as  Boston 
merchants  would  never  employ  an  abolitionist.  I concluded  to  try 
it,  and,  as  I am  now  satisfied,  was  more  successful  than  I should  have 
been  if  I had  chosen  the  other  partnership. 

It  was  the  wish  of  Judge  Fletcher,  that  I should  become  a jury 
lawyer,  and  I was  quite  successful  in  the  first  cases  I tried  ; but  soon 
found  that  my  nervous  temperament,  and  habit  of  thinking  over  cases 
all  night,  which  I could  not  get  rid  of,  was  too  wearing,  and  so  turned 
my  attention  to  building  up  an  office  practice.  In  this  I was  success- 
ful, and  soon  found  myself  able  not  only  to  support  liberally  my  good 
mother,  furnishing  her  every  thing  she  desired,  but  to  live  very  com- 
fortably myself,  give  something  to  charities,  and  yet  accumulate 
money  much  beyond  my  previous  anticipations. 

A PLEASANT  PARTNERSHIP. 

After  a most  pleasant  and  harmonious  partnership  of  fourteen 
years,  during  which  I cannot  remember  a single  unpleasant  word  or 
deed  of  my  most  excellent  partner,  wishing  to  be  less  closely  confined 
to  business  I dissolved  with  Mr.  Sewall,  and,  continuing  to  occupy 
with  him  the  same  offices,  took  in  a junior  partner,  with  whom  I 
continued  nine  years  more,  when  I substantially  abandoned  my  pro- 
fession, and  have  since  devoted  nyself  to  works  of  a public  nature, 
in  which  I have  attempted  to  accomplish  good,  but  from  which  I have 
neither  sought  nor  received  an}"  pecuniary  compensation. 

INCIDENTS  OF  LAW  PRACTICE. 

Among  many  interesting  incidents  of  my  practice  as  a lawyer,  I 
wdll  mention  some  of  the  first.  A poor  but  very  good-looking  Irish 
girl  was  engaged  to  a young  Irishman,  and  they  were  about  to  be 
married ; when  suddenly  he  left  her,  and  married  another,  very  much 
older  than  himself,  but  wrho  had  several  hundred  dollars  in  a savings 
bank.  Mr.  Loring,  with  whom  I had  studied,  sent  her  to  my  office. 
As  the  law  then  stood,  the  money  of  a wife  became  the  husband’s  on 
marriage.  1 sued  the  man  for  breach  of  promise,  and  attached  the 
wife’s  money  in  the  savings  bank.  The  result  was,  that  he  got  the 
old  lady  for  a wfife,  and  the  girl  got  pretty  much  all  the  money  which 
led  him  to  desert  her. 

One  of  our  most  promising  young  surgeons,  with  w'ise  judgment, 
amputated  a crushed  toe.  A rival  physician,  whose  practice  was 
being  endangered,  put  up  the  man  to  sue  for  five  thousand  dollars 


INCIDENTS  OF  LAW  PRACTICE. 


5 


damages,  and  to  employ  the  distinguished  Rufus  Choate  as  counsel. 
I was  employed  for  the  defence,  and  retained  as  senior  William 
Whiting,  an  able  lawyer. 

Mr.  Choate  was  prevented  by  other  duties  from  trying  the  case  ; 
but  another  eminent  man,  R.  H.  Dana,  took  his  place.  It  was  a 
three-days’  trial,  and  attracted  great  attention  from  the  medical 
profession,  many  of  whom  attended. 

After  we  had  won  the  verdict,  I wept  to  the  foreman  of  the  jury* 
and  explained  that  a verdict  for  a professional  man,  sued  for  mal- 
practice, could  never  make  him  whole  again  : people  would  always 
suspect  something  wrong.  The  result  was,  the  whole  jury  signed  a 
paper,  that  my  client  was  not  only  not  in  fault,  but  had,  in  their 
judgment,  acted  with  the  highest  surgical  skill.  With  this  I went  to 
the  opposing  counsel,  who  were  preparing  a statement  of  the  case  for 
the  newspapers,  and  proposing  to  move  for  a new  trial.  The  paper 
signed  by  the  jury  upset  their  plans  ; and  the  result  was,  that  they* 
too,  signed  a letter  to  the  doctor,  saying  they  were  satisfied  the  verdict 
was  correct.  These  I had  published  in  every  Boston  daily  paper ; 
and  they  gave  the  doctor,  as  I was  told,  a standing  in  the  profession 
he  could  not  have  obtained  otherwise  by  years  of  practice.  I count 
this  one  of  the  very  few  cases  in  which  a professional  man  has  been 
benefited  by  a suit  for  malpractice. 

About  this  time  a large ’estate  was  put  into  my  hands  to  settle. 
One  of  its  largest  claims  was  in  the  hands  of  a prominent  Ogdens- 
burg,  N.Y.,  lawyer,  who  kept  writing,  in  answer  to  my  letters,  that 
it  was  good,  and  would  be  settled  soon.  After  this  had  gone  on 
about  a year,  I sent  up  a man  to  get  the  money.  He  came  back 
with  the  same  story,  44  Good,  and  be  settled  soon.”  I thought  I 
would  go  myself ; so  one  day  I dropped  in  on  this  prominent  law}' er, 
to  find  a smiling  reception  and  the  same  old  story,  44  Good,  and  be 
settled  soon.”  I told  him  I was  going  down  the  St.  Lawrence  River 
the  next  morning,  and  expected  to  have  the  money  before  I went. 
He  didn’t  see  how  it  was  possible,  as  the  man  — whom  I had  found 
to  be  his  partner’s  father-in-law  — was  at  Saratoga  Springs.  I said* 
44It’s  very  simple:  I am  going  to  your  banks  and  large  mercantile 
houses,  show  them  your  letters,  and  offer  to  sell  at  a small  discount.” 
He  thought  a moment,  and  said  he  would  take  it  himself ; then  in- 
vited me  to  tea,  and  made  me  as  welcome  as  a king. 

In  settling  the  same  estate,  a Chicago  lawyer  had  collected  a large 
claim,  but  would  not  pay  over.  I wrote,  giving  him  some  days  to 
forward  the  money  ; if  not  then  received,  a letter  to  be  sent  to  every 
member  of  the ’Chicago  bar,  stating  the  circumstances,  and  asking  if 
they  knew  any  way  to  collect.  The  money  came  on  time. 


6, 


AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


The  fact  coming  to  my  knowledge,  early  in  my  professional  prac- 
tice, that  several  wills  had  been  lost  or  destroyed,  led  me  to  adopt 
the  plan  of  draughting  all  wills  in  duplicate  ; the  extra  cost  of  simply 
copying  being  very  small,  and  the  extra  security  of  having  two,  in 
different  places,  much  greater.  It  has  been  my  custom  through  life, 
to  keep  in  different  places  duplicate  copies  of  important  papers.  I 
have  frequently  found  this  a source  of  much  convenience,  particularly 
in  the  great  Chicago  fire,  when  the  records  of  various  deeds  I held 
were  destroyed. 

If  I were  writing  a book  for  lawyers,  I should  be  glad  to  speak 
of  other  matters  which  might  be  useful  to  young  men  entering  the 
profession. 

I think  the  two  most  fascinating  men  I ever  met  in  my  professional 
practice  were  Ole  Bull  and  Max  Maretzek.  The  latter  was  almost 
always  in  debt ; and  for  some  years,  every  time  he  came  to  Boston, 
claims  against  him  were  sent  me  for  collection.  Our  interviews  were 
always  pleasant.  With  payment  of  the  last,  he  presented  me  free 
tickets  to  best  seats  for  the  entire  opera  season,  and  said,  — “ Now, 
Mr.  Angell,  if  you  ever  have  another  claim  against  me,  I wish  you 
would  tell  me,  so  that  I can  run  awa}7.” 

INCIDENTS  IN  TEACHING. 

Among  the  incidents  of  my  experience  as  a teacher,  are  two  which 
may  be  of  service. 

In  the  winter  of  1845-46,  I agreed  to  teach  a school  in  Southern 
Massachusetts,  where  previous  masters  had  much  trouble.  On  my 
way  to  take  the  school,  I bought  several  dollars’  worth  of  beautifully 
colored  letter-paper,  various  colors  ; and  almost  the  first  day  of  the 
school  proposed  to  present,  at  the  end  of  every  week,  to  each  scholar 
who  had  maintained  a good  record,  several  sheets  of  this  paper,  suf- 
ficient to  give  each,  at  the  end  of  the  winter,  enough  for  a beautiful 
album,  permitting  them  to  draw  lots  for  colors.  The  result  was,  I 
governed  that  school  very  easily  the  entire  winter,  with  a few  dollars’ 
worth  of  colored  letter-paper ; and  at  the  end,  in  addition  to  various 
valuable  presents  from  the  scholars,  I received,  by  unanimous  vote  of 
the  school  committee,  a considerable  balance  of  money  left  in  the 
treasury. 

The  other  was  in  connection  with  the  school  I taught  in  Boston, 
— one  of  the  hardest  in  the  city, — wdiile  studying  my  profession. 
Without  asking  anybody’s  leave,  I adopted  the  plan  of  dismissing 
every  boy  who  had  behaved  well,  a quarter  of  an  hour  before  the  end 
of  school,  both  forenoon  and  afternoon  ; thus  giving  them  half  an 


CLASS  HISTORY . — WILL. 


7 


hour  each  day.  The  plan  worked  admirably,  and  I never  heard  from 
parent  or  school- committee  the  slightest  objection. 

CLASS  HISTORY. 

In  1863  a committee  of  my  college  classmates  prepared  a history 
of  our  class,  to  that  point,  in  which  they  put  the  following : — 


GEORGE  THORNDIKE  ANGELL. 

Nat.  June  5,  1823,  Southbridge,  Mass. 

Present  Residence,  Boston,  Mass. 

Immediately  after  graduation  Mr.  Angell  obtained  a situation  in  the  Mather 
Grammar  School  in  Boston,  and  about  the  same  time  commenced  reading  law, 
at  intervals,  in  the  office  of  Hon.  Richard  Fletcher.  In  the  fall  of  1849  he  gave 
up  his  connection  with  the  school,  and  entered  the  law  office  of  Charles  G. 
Eoring,  Esq.,  and  for  two  years  pursued  the  study  of  the  law  at  the  Cambridge 
Law  School,  and  with  Mr.  Loring.  He  was  then  admitted  to  the  bar  of  the 
Supreme  Court  of  Massachusetts,  and  was  immediately  received  into  the  law 
office  of  Hon.  Richard  Fletcher  and  Hon.  Samuel  E.  Sewall,  with  whom  he  was 
associated  in  business,  pleasantly  and  profitably.  Subsequently  he  formed  a 
law  partnership  with  Mr.  Sewall,  under  the  name  of  Sewall  & Angell.  This 
firm  still  continues,  and  does  a lucrative  business  in  the  highest  courts  of  the 
State. 

He  has  received  the  appointment  of  Commissioner,  resident  in  Massachu- 
setts, from  every  State  and  Territory  in  the  Union.  He  has  never  been  married; 
has  kept  entirely  aloof  from  politics,  and  devoted  himself  entirely  to  his  business. 

He  enjoys,  in  an  eminent  degree,  the  confidence  of  his  professional  brethren 
and  of  the  community  in  which  he  resides. 

FONDNESS  FOR  ANIMALS. 

It  is  proper  for  me  here  to  say,  that  from  my  childhood  I had  been 
extremely  fond  of  animals,  — dogs,  horses,  cats,  cattle,  sheep,  birds, 
all  these  and  many  others.  I had  seen,  and  personally  interfered  in, 
a number  of  cases  of  cruelty  to  them,  and  had  heard  of  many  others. 
I did  not  know  that  there  was  such  a thing  in  the  world  as  a “ society 
for  the  prevention  of  cruelty  to  animals,” — the  nearest  being  in 
London,  Eng.,  — but  I thought  something  should  be  done  for  their 
protection. 

WILL. 

So,  in  1864,  two  years  before  the  forming  of  the  first  society  in 
America  by  Henry  Bergh  of  New  York,  I gave  by  will  a considerable 
portion  of  my  property  to  be  used  after  my  death  in  u circulating  in 
schools,  Sunday  schools,  and  elsewhere,”  information  calculated  to 


8 


AUTOBIOGBAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


prevent  such  cruelty.  This  will  was  executed  Aug.  22,  1864,  in  the 
presence  of  W.  R.  P.  Washburn,  William  H.  Simpson,  and  Horatio 
G.  Parker  as  witnesses  ; and  the  clause  relating  to  animals  reads  as 
follows : — 

“ It  has  long  been  my  opinion,  that  there  is  much  wrong  in  the  treatment  of 
domestic  animals;  that  they  are  too  often  overworked,  overpunished,  and,  par- 
ticularly in  winter  and  in  times  of  scarcity,  underfed.  All  these  I think  great 
wrongs,  particularly  the  last;  and  it  is  my  earnest  wish  to  do  something  towards 
awakening  public  sentiment  on  this  subject;  the  more  so,  because  these  animals- 
have  no  power  of  complaint,  or  adequate  human  protection,  against  those  who  are 
disposed  to  do  them  injury.  I do  therefore  direct  that  all  the  remainder  of  my 
property  not  herein  before  disposed  of  shall,  within  two  years  after  the  decease 
of  my  mother  and  myself,  or  the  survivor,  be  expended  by  my  trustees  in  cir- 
culating in  common  schools,  Sabbath  schools,  or  other  schools,  or  otherwise,  in 
such  manner  as  my  trustees  shall  deem  best,  such  books,  tracts,  or  pamphlets  as 
in  their  judgment  will  tend  most  to  impress  upon  the  minds  of  youth  their 
duty  towards  those  domestic  animals  which  God  may  make  dependent  upon 
them.” 

CRUELTIES. 

The  cruelties  then  practised  in  Massachusetts  would  fill  a long- 
chapter.  It  is  not  necessary  to  give  many  of  them  here.  I will 
mention  a few. 

Calves  taken  from  their  mothers  when  too  young  to  eat  hay  were 
carted  through  our  streets,  and  la}’  in  heaps  at  the  cattle-markets, 
tied,  and  piled  on  each  other  like  sticks  of  wood  ; and  they  were  bled 
several  times  before  they  were  killed,  to  make  their  flesh  look  whiter 
and  more  delicate.  Sheep,  from  which  their  fleeces  had  been  taken, 
stood,  in  cold  weather,  about  the  slaughter-yards  shivering  for  days 
before  they  were  killed.  Nothing  had  been  done  to  lessen  the  horrors 
of  cattle  transportation.  Old  horses,  long  past  service,  were  whipped 
up  and  down  the  streets  of  Brighton,  and  sold  sometimes  for  thirty- 
seven  and  a half  cents  each.  Worn-out  and  aged  horses,  dogs,  and 
other  animals  were  ignorantly  and  thoughtlessly  killed,  in  ways  most 
brutal.  A man  in  my  town  near  Boston,  who  had  mortgaged  his 
stock  of  cattle  to  another,  quarrelled  with  him,  locked  the  stable- 
doors,  and  starved  them  all  to  death  in  their  stalls  to  prevent  his  get- 
ting his  pay.  There  was  no  law  in  Massachusetts  to  punish  him! 

HORSE-RACE. 

But  on  Saturday,  Feb.  22,  1868,  came  a great  horse-race,  in  which 
two  of  the  best  horses  of  the  State  were  driven  from  Brighton  to 
Worcester,  about  fqrty  miles,  over  rough  roads,  each  drawing  two 
men,  and  were  both  driven  to  death. 


MRS.  WILLIAM  APPLETON. 


9 


When  I saw  in  “ The  Boston  Daily  Advertiser  ” of  Monday,  Feb. 
24,  the  record  ’of  this  cruel  race,  my  determination  was  at  once 
taken.  I had  heard  that  Mr.  Bergh  had  started  a society  in  New 
York.  I said  to  myself,  “ Somebody  must  take  hold  of  this  business, 
and  I might  as  well  as  anybody  ; ” and  I immediately  sat  down,  and 
wrote  the  following  letter  to  “ The  Boston  Daily  Advertiser,”  which 
appeared  in  its  columns  the  next  morning,  Feb.  25,  1868  : — 

CRUELTY  TO  ANIMALS. 

To  the  Editors  of  “The  Boston  Daily  Advertiser.” 

In  your  paper  of  this  morning,  I see  that  the  race  on  Saturday  terminated  nr 
the  death  of  the  winning  horse.  [I  had  not  then  heard  of  the  death  of  the- 
other.]  I find  also  that  the  horse  was  driven  over  the  rough  roads  of  that  day 
the  whole  distance  from  Boston  to  Worcester,  and  drawing  two  men , at  an  aver- 
age speed  of  fifteen  and  two-sevenths  miles  per  hour.  It  seems  to  me  that  it  is 
high  time  for  somebody  to  take  hold  of  this  matter  in  earnest,  and  see  if  we  can- 
not do  something  in  Boston,  as  others  have  in  New  York,  to  stop  this  cruelty  to 
animals.  And  I wish  further  to  say  through  your  columns,  that  I,  for  one,  am 
ready  to  contribute  both  time  and  money ; and  if  there  is  any  society  or  person 
in  Boston,  with  whom  I can  unite,  or  who  will  unite  with  me,  in  this  matter,  I 
shall  be  glad  personally  or  by  letter  to  be  informed. 

George  T.  Angell, 

46  Washington  Street. 

Boston,  Feb.  24,  1868. 

On  the  morning  this  appeared,  I was  called  upon  by  Mrs.  William 
Appleton,  Mr.  C.  Allen  Browne,  E.  B.  Welch,  William  G.  Weld, 
Charles  K.  Whipple,  R.  F.  Walcutt;  received  letters  from  Franklin 
Evans,  John  J.  MajT,  and  Samuel  G.  Howe,  and  the  next  morning 
from  George  B.  Emerson,  Amos  A.  Lawrence,  and  others  ; and  at 
once  found  myself  in  a work  to  which  I have  deemed  it  a duty  and 
privilege  to  give  a large  portion  of  my  time  and  thoughts  ever  since, 
some  thousands  of  dollars  directly,  and  many  thousands  indirectly 
in  the  gradual  giving-up  of  a somew'hat  lucrative  profession  and 
neglecting  other  pecuniary  interests. 

MRS.  WILLIAM  APPLETON. 

Mrs.  William  Appleton,  who  called  the  first  morning,  and  to  whom 
more  than  any  other  lady  in  Massachusetts  is  the  success  of  our  soci- 
ety due,  at  once  told  me  that  she  had  for  several  months  been  trying 
to  start  a society  in  Boston.  She  had  seen  Mr.  Bergh,  had  obtained 
the  signatures  of  some  ninety  of  her  influential  friends  and  acquaint- 
ances to  a paper,  agreeing  to  become  patrons  of  a society  when 
formed,  and  had  herself  draughted  from  the  New-York  form,  and  put 


10 


A UTOBIOGRAPI1ICAL  SKETCHES. 


into  the  hands  of  the  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives  then 
in  session,  an  Act  for  incorporation.  On  Feb.  29,  four  clays  after  the 
publication  of  my  letter,  I put  in  the  various  Boston  papers  an  appeal 
for  funds,  signed  by  m}Tself,  Mrs.  Appleton,  and  various  of  her  and 
my  friends.  I called  upon 'the  Speaker  for  Mrs.  Appleton’s  Act  of 
incorporation.  He  could  not  find  it  then  (though  he  did  subsequent- 
ly) , but  said  that  if  I expected  the  Legislature  would  pass  a law  to 
prevent  cruelty  to  animals,  he  thought  I was  mistaken,  as  he  thought 
the  Legislature  would  not  enact  such  a law.  The  fact  was,  that  the 
prevention  of  cruelty  to  animals  was  then  a very  new  thing  in  this 
country,  and  neither  he  nor  the  Legislature  knew  quite  so  much  about 
it  as  they  did  afterwards.  I then  drew  a new  Act  of  incorporation,  in 
which  I put  the  names  of  Hon.  William  Gray,  Samuel  G.  Howe,  and 
my  own.  I should  certainly  have  put  in  the  name  of  Mrs.  William 
Appleton,  but  public  opinion  had  not  then  reached  the  point  when  it 
was  deemed  judicious  to  make  this  use  of  a lady’s  name.  Indeed, 
Mrs.  Appleton  did  not  think  it  proper  to  even  attend  the  meeting  at 
which  our  society  was  organized  ; and  at  our  first  election  of  directors, 
it  was  deemed  (singular  as  it  now  seems)  improper  to  elect  her  a 
director,  and  so  we  elected  her  husband,  Mr.  William  Appleton,  and 
conferred  upon  her  all  the  honor  we  thought  we  could  by  electing  her 
our  first  honorary  member.  1 am  happy  to  say  that  in  1871  public 
opinion  had  so  far  progressed,  that  we  unanimously  elected  her  our 
first  (and,  at  that  time,  only)  lady  director,  an  office  which  she  has 
held  ever  since  with  great  profit  to  the  society. 

From  this  time  to  March  24,  I devoted  my  time  to  pushing  the  Act 
of  incorporation,  writing  a series  of  letters  to  our  various  Boston 
papers,  and  getting  all  the  names  we  could  gather  to  aid  the  society’s 
formation.  On  March  23,  I obtained  the  Act  of  incorporation,  which 
reads  as  follows  : — 

ACT  OF  INCORPORATION. 

COMMONWEALTH  OF  MASSACHUSETTS. 

In  tlie  Year  One  Thousand  Eight  Hundred  and  Sixty-eight. 

An  Act  to  Incorporate  the  Massachusetts  Society  for  the  Pre- 
vention of  Cruelty  to  Animals. 

Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives , in  General  Court 
assembled,  and  by  the  authority  of  the  same,  as  follows : 

Section  1.  William  Gray,  Samuel  G.  Howe,  George  T.  Angell,  their  asso* 
elates  and  successors,  are  hereby  made  a corporation  by  the  name  of  The  Mas- 
sachusetts Society  for  the  Prevention  of  Cruelty  to  Animals,  with  all  the  powers 
and  privileges,  and  subject  to  all  the  duties,  liabilities,  and  restrictions,  set  forth 


ORGANIZATION  OF  MASSACHUSETTS  SOCIETY.  11 


in  all  general  laws  which  now  are  or  hereafter  may  be  in  force  relating  to  such 
corporations ; with  authority  to  hold  real  and  personal  estate,  for  the  purposes 
of  the  corporation,  not  exceeding  in  amount  one  hundred  thousand  dollars. 
Sect.  2.  This  Act  shall  take  effect  upon  its  passage. 

House  of  Representatives,  March  19, 1868. 

Passed  to  be  enacted. 

HARVEY  JEWELL,  Speaker. 

In  Senate,  March  20,  1868. 

Passed  to  be  enacted. 

GEO.  O.  BRASTOW,  President. 


Approved. 


March  23,  1868. 

ALEX.  H.  BULLOCK. 


A true  copy. 


Secretary’s  Department,  Boston,  March  23, 1868. 

OLIVER  WARNER, 
Secretary  of  the  Commonwealth. 


Note. — The  Massachusetts  Society  was  the  second  incorporated  in  America,  Mr.  Bergh’s 
New- York  Society  being  the  first.  The  Pennsylvania  Society  obtained  their  charter  soon  after 
the  Massachusetts. 


ORGANIZATION  OF  MASSACHUSETTS  SOCIETY. 

In  the  daily  papers  of  March  24,  appeared  a call  for  a meeting) 
signed  by  Messrs.  Gray,  Howe,  and  myself,  at  my  offices,  46  Wash- 
ington Street,  March  31,  1868,  at  3 o'clock  p.m.,  to  organize  the 
society.  In  the  mean  time  I wrote  a constitution  and  by-laws,  which 
with,  I believe,  the  alteration  of  only  one  word,  were  unanimously 
adopted,  and  have  been  our  chart  and  guide  ever  since.  When  the 
hour  of  meeting  arrived,  upwards  of  forty  persons  were  present ; and, 
my  offices  being  inconveniently  crowded,  we  adjourned  to  the  hall 
overhead.  Hon.  William  Gray  was  chosen  chairman,  and  Russell 
Sturgis,  jun.,  Esq.,  secretary  pro  tem.  I gave  an  address;  the  con- 
stitution and  by-laws  were  adopted  ; a proper  paper,  prepared  by  me, 
was  presented  for  signatures  of  those  who  would  join,  and  forty-three 
persons  signed  it,  most  of  them  as  life-members  ; and  sixteen  direc- 
tors were  elected,  as  follows  : — 


George  T.  Angell. 
Samuel  G.  Howe. 
William  Gray. 
Russell  Sturgis,  Jun. 
Geo.  Tyler  Bigelow. 
Henry  Saltonstall. 


Directors. 

John  Quincy  Adams. 
W.  W.  Morland. 
Thomas  Motley. 

D.  D.  Slade. 

George  Noyes. 


Thomas  Conery. 
Franklin  Evans. 
John  Reed. 
William  G.  Weld. 
William  Appleton. 


Among  these  will  be  recognized  some  of  the  best-known  and  most 
distinguished  names  of  Boston. 


12 


A UT0B10GRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


In  this  the  Society’s  seventeenth  year,  only  three,  with  myself r 
remain ; and  only  one,  Mr.  George  Noyes,  — then,  as  now,  the  editor 
and  proprietor  of  “ The  Massachusetts  Ploughman,”  and  the  Society’s, 
constant  and  earnest  friend, — still  continues,  with  me,  to  regularly 
attend  our  meetings,  and  join  actively  in  our  work. 

Amos  A.  Lawrence  — than  whom  no  better  could  be  found  — con- 
sented to  act  as  our  treasurer ; one  hundred  vice-presidents,  with  his 
Excellency  the  Governor  — Alexander  II.  Bullock  — at  their  head, 
were  chosen  ; Russell  Sturgis,  jun.,  Esq.,  consented  to  act  temporarily 
as  honorary  secretary  ; and  I was  unanimously  elected  to  the  office  of 
president,  which,  by  seventeen  succeeding  unanimous  elections,  I 
have  now  held  nearly  seventeen  years.  At  the  close  of  the  meeting, 
Mr.  Sturgis  went  with  me  to  my  office  underneath  the  hall ; and,  with 
a deep  sense  of  the  great  work  we  believed  we  had  that  day  inaugu- 
rated, we  knelt,  and  asked  God’s  blessing.  Full  accounts  of  this 
meeting  will  be  found  in  Boston  papers  of  April  1,  1868. 

The  next  thing  was  to  draught,  and  present  to  the  Legislature,  a 
suitable  law  ; our  statutes  being  then  such  that  any  man  or  woman 
could  starve  his  or  her  horse  or  cow  to  death , without  fear  of  punish- 
ment. I draughted  what  seemed  to  me  a suitable  law',  wffiich,  after 
being  considered  and  perfected  by  consultation  writh  Chief  Justice 
Bigelow  of  our  Supreme  Judicial  Court  (one  of  our  directors),  and  the 
Hon.  William  Gray  (another  director),  in  company  writh  them,  I pre- 
sented to,  and  argued  before,  the  Judiciary  Committee  of  our  Senate, 
on  April  7,  1868,  reports  of  which  will  be  found  in  Boston  papers  of 
April  8,  1868. 

The  next  few  weeks  were  devoted  to  pushing  this  law  through  the 
Legislature,  by  seeing  members  and  writing  letters  to  Boston  papers ; 
also  to  gathering  newr  members,  in  which  work  Mrs.  Appleton,  from 
her  large  acquaintance  with  wealthy  and  influential  citizens,  rendered 
most  valuable  service  ; also  to  fitting  up  offices  for  the  Society,  in  the 
same  building  writh  my  own,  and  connecting  with  them  by  speaking- 
tube.  It  was  already  pretty  clear  to  my  mind,  that  I wras  entering 
upon  a life-wrork  ; and  my  plans  reached  far  be3Tond  any  thing  that  I 
could  learn  had  been  thus  far  undertaken.  I saw  that  w7e  should 
need  not  only  a State  society,  but  prosecuting  agents,  and,  so  far  as 
possible,  branches  in  some  form  in  almost  every  city  and  town ; and 
that,  while  enforcement  of  lawrs  might  do  something,  humane  educa- 
tion wTould  be  a thousand  times  more  important,  both  for  the  protec- 
tion of  animals  and  for  its  effects  on  the  human  race.  With  this 
feeling,  I closed  the  appeal  published  in  Boston  papers,  signed  by 
Mr.  Gray,  Mr.  Sturgis,  and  myself,  with  these  words  : The  Society 


“ OUR  DUMB  ANIMALS.” 


13 


has  a great  work  before  it;  and  it  earnestly  asks  the  aid  and  prayers 
of  every  man  and  woman  in  Massachusetts  who  believes  in  God , and 
has  sympathy  for  his  suffering  creatures.'”  And  then  I set  to  work 
to  see  how  we  could  increase  our  funds  and  membership. 

ALMOST  PROVIDENTIAL. 

Here  occurred  what  seemed  almost  a providential  interposition.  I 
was  going  down  Washington  Street,  full  of  my  thought,  when  I passed 
a man  connected  with  our  police,  whom  I had  not  seen  for  months. 
Something  seemed  to  say  to  me,  uThat  man  can  help  you.”  I turned 
quickly,  overtook  him,  tapped  him  on  the  shoulder,  told  him  my 
trouble,  and  asked  him  where  I could  get  the  right  men  to  canvass 
the  city  of  Boston.  He  said  at  once  that  there  were  most  excellent 
men  on  the  police-force,  who  could  be  spared  as  well  as  not,  if  per- 
mission could  only  be  obtained  to  use  them.  On  this  suggestion,  I 
went  to  the  mayor,  the  chief  of  police,  the  chairman  of  the  police 
committee  of  aldermen,  and  the  city  attorney,  all  of  whom  I knew 
personally  ; and  the  result  was,  that  seventeen  policemen,  picked 
from  the  whole  force,  clothed  in  their  best  uniforms,  w^ere  put  under 
my  orders  on  April  15,  1868,  for  three  weeks,  reporting  to  me  daily, 
to  canvass  the  entire  city , at  the  city’s  expense , to  raise  funds  for  our 
society.  I addressed  them,  furnished  them  with  with  blank-books, 
assigned  to  each  his  district,  and  thus  canvassed  the  whole  city,  ob- 
taining thus  probably  about  twelve  hundred  of  the  about  sixteen 
hundred  members  and  patrons  with  whom  we  began  our  work. 

And  here  another  circumstance  which  seemed  providential  oc- 
curred. The  opposition  candidate  for  mayor  would,  as  it  afterward 
appeared,  have  stopped  our  work  in  a day  if  he  had  known  any  thing 
about  it ; but,  as  good  fortune  would  have  it,  he  was  one  of  the  very 
last  men  called  upon  by  the  police,  and  the  canvass  was  closed  before 
he  knew  it,  and  we  had  in  our  treasury  about  thirteen  thousand 
dollars. 

U OUR  DUMB  ANIMALS” THE  FIRST  OF  ITS  KIND. 

On  May  14  our  law,  having  been  enacted  by  both  branches  of  the 
Legislature,  was  approved  by  the  governor;  and  on  May  15  I ob- 
tained a copy  for  publication.  On  May  20  I called  a meeting  of  the 
directors,  and  laid  before  them  my  plans,  and  the  reasons  for  starting 
a paper  through  which  we  could  speak  every  month  to  our  friends 
and  the  people  of  the  State,  and  which  I would  undertake  without 
expense  to  edit.  They  assented,  and  then  asked,  “ How  many  shall 
we  print  of  the  first  number?”  — “ Two  hundred  thousand”  I an- 
swered. “ How  much  will  it  cost  ? ” — “ Between  two  and  three  thou - 


14 


AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


sand  dollars .”  They  were  startled,  but  finally  agreed  ; and  on  June 
2,  1868,  I issued  an  edition  of  two  hundred  thousand  copies  of  “ Our 
Dumb  Animals,”  the  first  paper  of  its  kind  in  the  world. 

And  here  comes  in  another  incident  which  seemed  almost  provi- 
dential. I wanted  to  send  a copy  of  that  paper  into  every  home  in 
the  Commonwealth,  but  it  would  cost  a great  deal  of  money  to  do 
it.  How  could  it  be  done? 

I called  again  upon  our  good  mayor,  Dr.  Shurtleff,  and  asked 
that  the  police,  on  their  regular  beats,  should  leave  one  copy  in  each 
house  in  Boston.  “ He  would  be  glad  to  help  me,  hut  this  opposition 
candidate  for  mayor , wdio  was  then  an  alderman,  had  almost  got  a 
vote  of  censure  upon  him  for  letting  us  have  the  police  ; had  obtained 
an  order  that  the  Boston  police  should  never  be  again  employed  to 
canvass  for  a charitable  society  ; and  would  certainly  prevent  the 
police  distributing  our  paper.”  So  said  the  mayor,  so  said  the 
chief  of  police,  and  so  said  all  of  them.  I said,  “ I wdll  see  this 

Alderman . ” I went  to  the  reading-room  under  the  Old  State 

House,  thinking  to  find  him  there,  but  did  not.  Rushing  out  on  the 
south  side,  I almost  ran  over  a gentleman  passing.  He  stopped,  and 
I apologized.  It  was  Mr.  John  J.  Ma}T  of  Boston,  who  responded 
the  first  day  to  my  letter  proposing  to  form  a society,  and  afterwards 
became  one  of  our  directors.  He  asked  liowr  I wras  getting  along  with 
the  new  society.  I told  him  my  trouble  with  Alderman . “ Al- 
derman   ! ” said  he  ; “ Alderman is  my  particular,  intimate 

friend.  I will  go  directly  to  his  office,  and  make  him  offer  an  order 
at  the  board-meeting  this  afternoon,  that  the  police  shall  distribute 
your  paper  in  every  house  in  Boston.”  He  went  directly  to  Aider- 

man  ’s  office.  Alderman  , in  the  board  that  afternoon, 

offered  the  order  ; and  over  thirty  thousand  copies  of  our  paper  were 
thus  gratuitously  distributed,  in  nearly  every  house  in  Boston,  by  the 
police. 

With  the  example  of  Boston,  I succeeded  in  getting  the  same  dis- 
tribution made  by  the  police  in  other  cities.  To  reach  towms,  I 
obtained  from  our  Boston  postmaster,  Gen.  William  L.  Burt,  a letter 
to  all  country  postmasters,  asking  them  to  distribute  our  paper  in 
their  various  localities  ; and  many  were  distributed  by  members  of  the 
Legislature  ; and  in  these  ways,  without  other  expense  than  a moder- 
ate sum  for  expressage  and  correspondence,  we  succeeded  in  sending 
it  widely  into  almost  every  town  in  the  Commonwealth. 


AG  A IN  P Ii  0 VI  DEN  TIA  L.  — D EA  TIL 


15 


AGAIN  PROVIDENTIAL. 

I will  mention  another  incident  which  at  the  time  seemed  to  me 
providential.  I thought  it  very  important,  in  this  edition  of  two  hun- 
dred thousand,  to  give  some  account  of  the  horrible  cruelties  practised 
in  and  about  the  Brighton  slaughter-houses.  But  at  the.last  moment, 
just  as  I was  going  to  press,  the  two  men  upon  whom  I had  relied, 
fearing  personal  danger,  backed  out,  and  would  furnish  me  nothing. 

Just  then,  almost  ac  the  last  moment , a tall,  stern-looking  man  came 
into  my  office,  and  said,  “You  are  forming  a society  to  prevent 
cruelty  to  animals,  ain’t  you?  ” I said,  “ Yes*”  — “ Well,”  said  he, 
“I’ll  join  ; ” and  he  took  out  ten  dollars,  and  handed  me.  I thanked 
him,  and  said,  “ What  name,  sir?”  He  gave  me  his  name.  “ And 
where  can  we  send  our  publications  to  you?” — “Brighton.”  — 
“Brighton,”  said  I:  “perhaps  you  know  something  about  those 
Brighton  slaughter-houses.”  — “Well,  I should  think  I ought  to,” 
said  he.  “ I’ve  run  one  on  ’em  about  twenty  years  ; and  I’ve  done 
cruelty  enough  to  animals,  and  now  I’m  going  to  see  if  I can’t  do 
’em  some  good.” 

In  the  state  of  mind  I was  in  just  then,  the  tears  came  into  my 
ej^es ; and  I said  to  him,  “ Who  do  you  suppose  sent  you  here?” 
“Well,”  said  he,  “I  kind  of  thought  I would  come  in.”  I said, 
“ I know  who  sent  you  : now  please  sit  down  ; ” and  he  gave  me  the 
ven’  information  I wanted,  just  in  time  to  print  two  hundred  thousand 
copies  for  circulation  through  the  State,  and  to  aid  in  abolishing  that 
whole  abominable  system  which  has  now  given  way  to  our  splendid 
abattoir.  I was  told  afterwards,  by  those  who  knew  this  man,  that  it 
was  nothing  less  than  a miracle  ; for  he  was  never  known  to  give  any 
thing  before  in  his  life. 

DEATH. 

About  this  time  my  good  mother,  then  in  Vermont,  in  her  eightieth 
year  suddenly  died.  I was  then  unmarried.  She  was  my  only  living 
relative  nearer  than  cousin,  and  it  had  often  seemed  to  me  that  I 
could  not  bear  the  affliction  which  would  come  upon  me  when  she 
should  die.  But  kind  Providence  had  so  ordered  that  her  death  came 
at  just;  the  time  when  my  whole  brain  and  heart  were  so  full  of  this 
great  work,  and  its  demands  upon  me  so  pressing,  that  I had  compar- 
atively little  time  to  think  of  my  own  personal  loss.  A singular  cir- 
cumstance is  here  worth  relating.  My  mother  died  on  June  15,  1868. 
I did  not  receive  the  telegram  until  the  16th.  On  the  evening  of  the 
15th  I went  home  in  usual  health,  and  started  for  a ride  on  horse- 


16 


AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


back  ; my  mother  being  over  a hundred  miles  distant  in  Vermont,  and, 
so  far  as  I knew,  in  ordinary  health.  Suddenly  I was  taken  with  a 
terrible  faintness  and  sickness.  I hurried  home,  told  my  landlady 
that  1 didn’t  know  what  was  the  matter  with  me,  but  I had  never 
felt  so  before, — my  appetite  all  gone;  only  a terrible  feeling  of 
faintness  and  sickness.  It  passed  off  by  degrees.  Next  day  I re- 
ceived the  telegram,  and  learned  that  at  the  very  time  this  sickness 
came  upon  me,  about  (5.30  p.m.,  my  good  mother,  over  a hundred  miles 
away,  wras  dying. 

THE  POWER  OF  HOPE. 

Two  other  incidents  relating  to  my  mother  here  occur  to  me  as 
showing  the  power  of  hope,  and  the  importance  of  cheering  the  sick, 
instead  of  saying,  “ Hoiv  feeble  you  look!”  etc.,  and  otherwise  only 
adding  to  the  troubles  they  already  have  to  contend  with.  Oct.  1(5, 
1854,  at  10.30  p.m.,  I received  a telegram  that  my  mother  in  Vermont 
w as  at  the  point  of  death.  I took  the  first  train  to  Brattleborough  ; 
then  as  good  a horse  as  I could  find,  eighteen  miles  to  the  little  village 
among  the  hills,  where  she  was  residing.  I had  learned  b}*  my  own  per- 
sonal experiences,  that  doctors  are  sometimes  mistaken.  In  one  case, 
for  instance,  a quite  noted  doctor  had  told  me  that  I had  a fever,  and 
should  not  be  able  to  leave  my  bed  for  two  weeks.  I discharged  him 
on  the  spot,  took  a powerful  dose  of  cathartic,  and  the  next  da}*  went 
to  his  office,  and  paid  his  bill.  In  another,  one  of  the  most  distin- 
guished eye-doctors  of  Boston,  promising  to  get  me  out  in  a fortnight, 
kept  me  six  weeks  in  great  suffering  and  weakness,  and  almost  total 
darkness,  and  then  told  me  it  would  take  him  six  weeks  more  to  get 
me  out.  I discharged  him,  took  the  case  into  my  own  hands,  and  b}T 
simply  reversing  his  treatment  got  out  evenings  in  about  a week, 
and  went  to  Vermont  in  about  a fortnight.  I took  things  to  strength- 
en, not  deplete,  and  began  bringing  my  eyes-  to  the  light  instead  of 
shutting  them  out  from  it.  But  whether  the  doctor  in  this  case  of 
my  mother’s  was  mistaken,  or  not,  I determined,  God  willing,  that, 
if  I found  her  alive,  I would  save  her.  What  effect  prayers  have, 
God  only  knows  ; but  I am  sure  I never  prayed  more  earnestly  in 
my  life  than  I did  for  her  recovery.  I arrived  in  the  afternoon ; 
and,  as  I drove  up  to  the  door,  a lady  came  out,  and  I said,  “ Is  my 
mother  alive?  ” — “ Yes,”  was  the  answer,  “ but  just  about  to  die.” 
I strode  into  the  sick-room,  and  found  there,  around  her  bed,  a large 
delegation  of  the  church,  singing  the  farewell  hymns,  and  offering 
the  farewell  prayers.  I spoke  to  her ; and  she  said  in  a feeble  but. 
pleasant  voice,  “You  have  come,  George,  to  see  me  die.”  — “Oh, 


THE  POWER  OF  HOPE. 


IT 


no!”  said  I,  “not  at  all.  I have  arranged  all  my  business,  and 
have  come  up  to  spend  a fortnight ; and  am  going  to  take  right  hold, 
and  have  every  thing  straightened  out,  and  you  get  well.”  (This 
was  the  substance  of  what  I said.)  But  her  mind  was  so  fixed  on 
dying,  that  she  seemed  determined  to  die.  So  I said,  44 Mother , if 
it  is  God’s  will  that  you  should  live , — if  he  has  something  more  for 
you  to  do  in  the  world , are  you  willing  to  live  ?”  — 4 4 Yes,”  she  said , 
44  if  it  is  God’s  will , I am  willing.”  — 4 4 Then,”  I said,  44  we  will 
take  the  means.”  I dismissed  the  church  brothers  and  sisters  in 
about  five  minutes,  and  put  up  a notice  on  the  door  that  nobody 
could  be  admitted.  I had  every  noise  in  the  house  at  once  stopped. 
I sent  about  forty  miles  for  a lady  friend  of  my  mother’s,  a good 
nurse,  to  come  without  fail  by  next  train,  as  it  was  a case  of  life  or 
death.  I sent  about  a hundred  miles  for  her  clergyman,  to  whom 
she  was  much  attached,  to  come  home  at  once.  I sent  sixteen  miles 
over  the  hills  for  a noted  physician.  Mother  had  for  several  weeks 
been  unable  to  take  nourishment  except  by  injections  ; and  they  had 
tried  in  vain  to  get  ice,  which  it  was  thought  her  stomach  might 
bear.  I directed  the  stable-keeper  to  harness  a horse,  and  start  for 
ice,  and  not  to  show  himself  in  town  again  until  he  brought  it,  if  he 
had  to  go  to  Boston.  The  result  was,  the  nurse,  the  minister,  the 
doctor,  and  the  ice  all  came  ; and  my  good  mother,  who  would  prob- 
ably have  died  that  night  if  I had  not  reached  her,  just  six  weeks 
and  two  days  afterwards,  on  Nov.  30,  was  with  me  in  Boston  at 
church,  and  eating  her  Thanksgiving  dinner. 

Four  years  later,  June  9,  1858,  I was  called  again  by  telegram, 
and  as  before  hurried  to  Vermont,  to  find  that  she  had  been  engaged, 
now  in  her  seventieth  year,  in  a great  revival ; had  overworked  her- 
self; had  fallen,  and  lain  for  hours  in  a fit,  on  coming  out  of  which 
she  had  lost  most  of  her  mental  faculties,  could  remember  hardly 
any  thing,  and  could  only  lie  in  bed  moaning.  I watched  her  one 
day,  and  then  decided  that  the  only  hope  was  to  change  her  surround- 
ings. The  doctor  thought  she  would  probably  die  anyway.  I ordered 
a barouche  from  Brattleborough,  eighteen  miles  distant,  — that  being 
the  nearest  railway-station, — into  which  I contrived  to  put  her,  and 
with  a nurse  started  for  my  native  town  in  Southern  Massachusetts. 
She  knew  so  little,  that  she  thought  the  first  station  from  Brattle- 
borough was  Springfield.  In  the  saloon  of  the  car,  we  brought  her  at 
night  into  Springfield  depot,  and  took  her  at  once  to  the  famous 
Massasoit  Hotel,  where  I told  the  landlord  it  was  a case  of  life  or 
death,  and  I must  have  the  best  in  his  house.  He  gave  me  eveiy 
thing  I could  wish ; and  when,  in  the  spacious  room  with  a cheerful 


18 


A UT0BI0GRAPI1ICAL  SKETCHES. 


fire  burning,  I put  before  her  the  first  strawberries  she  had  seen  that 
season,  a new  light  seemed  to  dawn  in  her  eyes.  The  next  day  she 
was  better,  and  we  reached  kind  friends  in  my  native  town.  Gradu- 
ally her  lost  faculties  returned,  and  she  lived  ten  years  longer  to  her 
eightieth  year.  I am  clearly  of  opinion  that  in  both  these  cases  the 
change  of  surroundings  acting  upon  her  mind,  and  inspiring  a belief 
in  recovery,  accomplished  what  could  never  have  been  accomplished 
by  the  power  of  medicine. 

PROSECUTING- AGENTS  AND  WRITERS. 

My  next  step  in  our  humane  work  was  in  pursuance  of  my  original 
plan,  to  begin  the  finding  of  suitable  persons  in  every  city  and  town 
of  the  State,  who  would  act  as  prosecuting-agents  of  the  Society. 
This  was  a work  of  no  small  difficulty,  and  not  perfected  until  long 
after.  I also  wrote  a large  number  of  letters  to  leading  literary  men 
and  women  of  the  country, — poets,  clergymen,  writers,  editors,  and 
lecturers,  — to  enlist  their  pens  and  voices.  Some  of  them  responded 
nobly  ; among  the  first,  Mrs.  Harriet  Beecher  Stowe,  in  an  article  of 
great  interest,  widely  published.  I caused  our  paper  to  be  sent  to 
various  parts  of  our  own  and  other  countries,  and  particularly,  each 
month,  to  a large  number  of  newspapers  in  our  own  and  other  States, 
also  to  judges  and  magistrates.  This  gave  our  work  a very  wide 
circulation,  and  prepared  the  way  for  the  proper  enforcement  of 
our  law. 


FIRST  PROSECUTION. 

The  first  case  we  had  occasion  to  prosecute  was  for  overloading  a 
horse,  and  a perfectly  clear  case  of  cruelty  ; but  the  wealthy  man 
who  opposed  us  brought  men  to  swear  that  a horse  of  the  iveight  of 
this  one  could  easily  have  pulled  the  load  ; and  on  that  ground  the 
judge  ruled  against  us.  In  the  Boston  “Transcript”  I at  once  re- 
viewed the  judge’s  decision,  and  showed  the  fallacy  of  supposing  that 
all  horses  of  the  same  weight , whether  old  or  young , iveak  or  strong , 
sick  or  well , half-starved  or  fed,  or  the  day  hot  or  cold,  could  uniformly 
pull  the  same  load.  I showed  there  was  the  same  difference  in  horses 
as  men,  and  that  what  one  horse  or  man  of  given  weight  could  do 
was  no  evidence  of  what  another  of  the  same  weight  ought  to.  This 
was  the  first  case  under  a new  and  untried  law.  The  same  judge  has 
since  been  one  of  our  best  friends  ; and  my  hastily  written  letter  was 
adopted  by  Bishop,  in  his  work  on  “ Statutory  Crimes,”  as  sound 
law,  and  is,  I believe,  now  so  considered. 


HEALTH.  — FIRST  DRINKING-FOUNTAINS. 


19 


HEALTH. 

The  work  was  all  new,  correspondence  very  large.  No  society  in 
the  world  had  then  undertaken  plans  like  ours.  And  so  it  happened 
that  my  time  was  fully  occupied,  not  only  week-days  but  Sundays  ; 
and  my  nights  were  any  thing  but  restful,  for  when  I retired  it  was 
with  candle,  paper,  and  pencil  in  a chair  at  my  side,  to  minute  down 
thoughts  that  came  in  the  night.  My  health,  never  of  the  strongest, 
of  course  suffered. 

I continued  editing  “ Our  Dumb  Animals”  nine  months,  giving  it 
my  best  thought,  publishing  during  that  time  about  three  hundred 
and  fifty  thousand  copies ; and  felt  well  rewarded  for  my  labor  of 
love,  when, ‘at  our  first  public  annual  meeting  in  Boston  Music  Hall, 
Governor  Claflin  said,  that  4 4 no  more  interesting  paper  came  to  his 
table.” 

In  the  editorials  of  those  first  nine  months  will  be  found,  I think, 
pretty  much  the  substance  of  all  I have  since  said  and  written  on  this 
subject. 

In  December,  if  I remember  rightly,  Messrs.  Brigham  and  Denny, 
secretary  and  prosecuting-agent  of  the  Society,  left  to  accept  other 
positions  ; and  the  Hon.  Frank  B.  Fay  of  Chelsea,  after  an  interview 
and  correspondence,  consented  to  take  the  position  of  secretary,  and 
to  relieve  me  from  labor  and  anxiety,  which  was  telling  pretty 
severely  upon  my  health. 

I had  decided,  under  advice  of  my  physician,  that  rest  and  travel 
on  the  other  side  of  the  ocean  would  be  judicious  ; and  I hoped,  also, 
to  accomplish  some  good.  So  I threw  every  thing  onto  Mr.  Fay  ; 
and,  as  in  my  college  days  it  was  thought  wiser  to  study  dead  rather 
than  living  languages,  I went  at  once  into  a French  family,  to  devote 
my  evenings,  for  six  weeks  before  starting,  to  studying  and  talking 
the  French  language.  The  result  was,  that  the  words  and  sentences 
which  I did  learn,  I pronounced  so  correctly,  that  I had  the  greatest 
difficulty  in  making  Frenchmen  believe  that  I couldn’t  understand  a 
word  they  said  to  me  when  they  talked  rapidly. 

On  April  17,  1869,  I sailed  from  New  York,  on  the  44  City  of 
Brooklyn,”  of  the  Inman  Line,  for  England. 


FIRST  DRINKING-FOUNTAINS. 

One  thing  more  I will  here  add.  In  my  address  at  the  first  annual 
meeting  of  our  Society,  in  Music  Hall,  just  before  I started  for 
Europe,  I referred,  among  other  things,  to  twenty  drinking- fountains 


20 


A UTOBIOGRAPIIICAL  SKETCHES. 


for  animals.  It  was  a curious  circumstance,  that  at  the  starting  of 
our  Society  there  was  not,  to  my  knowledge,  in  the  whole  city  of 
Boston  a single  public  fountain,  or  watering-trough,  where  a thirsty 
horse  could  find  water;  nor,  with  one  exception,  w'as  there  in  the 
whole  city,  outside  the  Common , a single  public  place  where  a thirsty 
man  could  get  water.  So  one  of  the  first  things  I attempted  was  to 
get  fountains  for  animals. 

At  that  time  some  thousands  of  temperance-men  had  petitioned 
the  city  government,  and  used  their  best  endeavors,  to  get  water  in 
the  streets  for  men , but  had  totally  failed ; yet  I soon  secured  twenty 
iron  fountains  for  animals. 

I attributed  my  success  to  two  facts : First , an  influential  gentle- 
man, who  wanted  to  introduce  a new  and  really  good  street-pave- 
ment, offered  to  go  for  my  fountains  if  I would  go  for  his  pavement ; 
and,  second , as  horses  wouldn’t  buy  beer,  there  was  no  objection 
to  giving  them  water.  Having  obtained  water  for  horses , it  soon 
followed  for  humans. 

I should  properly  say,  that  the  large  stone  troughs,  now  seen  in 
our  streets,  were  put  in  subsequently ; several  of  them  being  pre- 
sented to  the  city  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  William  Appleton. 

EUROPE. 

0 

Sailing  on  April  17,  1869,  as  before  stated,  I landed  at  Queens- 
town, Ireland,  on  the  26th;  and  passing  through  Ireland,  — Cork, 
Killarney,  Dublin,  Belfast,  Giants’  Causeway ; thence  through  Scot- 
land, — Glasgow,  Scotch  lakes,  Edinburgh  ; thence  through  the  Eng- 
lish lake  country,  Liverpool,  Wales,  Chester,  Manchester,  Rugby, 
Leamington,  Oxford,  — reached  London  Ma}^  25. 

My  European  travels  will  be  found  pretty  fully  described  in  the 
series  of  twent}7  letters  written  by  me  from  various  points,  and  pub- 
lished in  “ Our  Dumb  Animals,”  from  June,  1869,  to  August,  1870, 
inclusive. 

JOHN  COLAM,  T.  B.  SMITHIES,  AND  THE  ROYAL  SOCIETY. 

‘On  Monday,  May  31,  I called  on  John  Colam,  Esq.,  the  able  sec- 
retary and  working  head  of  the  Royal  Society  for  the  Prevention  of 
Cruelty  to  Animals. 

I thought,  and  told  him  so,  that  in  some  respects  we  had  accom- 
plished more  in  Massachusetts,  in  our  first  year,  than  the  Royal  So- 
ciety had  in  about  fifty,  because  ice  believed , through  and  through , in 
the  power  of  humane  education , and  in  spending  our  money  instead 


BOYAL  SOCIETY.  — BABONESS  BUBDETT-COUTTS.  21 


of  hoarding  it.  Three  days  after,  on  June  3,  I called  on  T.  B. 
Smithies,  Esq.,  a distinguished  publisher  of  London,  one  of  the 
directors  of  the  Royal  Society,  and  the  son  of  Mrs.  Catharine  Smith- 
ies, who  a few  }Tears  later  founded  the  first  English  u Band  of  Mercy.4’ 
Mr.  Smithies  and  Mr.  Colam  both  sympathized  with  my  views  on 
humane  education,  and  on  the  importance  of  starting  in  London  a 
paper  like  “ Our  Dumb  Animals,”  which  should  be  the  organ  of  the 
Royal  Society,  through  which  it  could  speak  to  Parliament,  magis- 
trates, its  friends,  and  the  great  public. 

FIRST  MEETING  WITH  DIRECTORS  OF  THE  ROYAL  SOCIETY. 

Through  the  influence  of  these  gentlemen  I was  invited  to  address 
a meeting  of  the  directors  of  the  Royal  Society  on  Monday,  June  14, 
and  give  them  a history  of  our  work  and  plans  in  America'.  The 
meeting  occupied  about  three  hours  ; the  Lord  Bishop  of  Gloucester 
and  Bristol  in  the  chair,  and  a fine-looking  body  of  elderly  gentle- 
men around  the  great  table,  which  would,  I should  think,  accommo- 
date some  forty  or  more  persons.  I spoke  about  an  hour,  urging  two 
things,  — first,  to  establish  a paper  like  ours;  and,  second,  to  spend 
their  mone}^  widely  in  humane  education.  When  I began,  they 
seemed  to  me  a dignified,  cool,  and  somewhat  non-committal  body ; 
when  I closed,  as  genial  a set  of  gentlemen  as  I could  wish  to  meet. 
But  one  thing  at  the  close  struck  me  as  very  strange,  and  that  wTas 
the  question,  Who  should  move  the  vote  of  thanks ? which  seemed  to 
be  regarded  a much  more  important  matter  than  we  consider  it  in 
America  ; but  presently  Field-marshal  Sir  John  Burgoyne,  an  aged 
gentleman,  very  near  the  head  of  the  British  army,  slowly  arose, 
and  with  the  utmost  dignity  moved  the  vote  of  thanks. 


THE  BARONESS  BURDETT-COUTTS. 

At  the  close  of  my  address,  I was  introduced  to  the  secretary  of 
Miss  (afterwards  Baroness)  Burdett-Coutts,  who  brought  a written 
invitation  from  her  ladyship  to  dine  with  her  and  a party  of  friends 
the  next  day  at  six  o’clock,  at  her  splendid  country-mansion  just  out 
of  London.  I had  suffered  a good  deal  in  crossing  the  ocean,  was 
in  very  delicate  health,  could  sleep  but  very  little  nights,  and  was  so 
weak  that  I was  often  dizzy  when  walking  the  streets.  I considered 
the  invitation  a moment,  and  then  told  her  secretary  that  I must 
decline  the  invitation  to  dine,  but  would,  with  her  kind  permission, 
drive  out  to  her  house  at  five  o’clock,  one  hour  before,  and  in  that  hour 


22 


A UTOBIOGEAPIIICAL  SKETCHES. 


put  before  her  my  plans,  which  were  to  form  a “Ladies'  Humane 
Education  Society ,"  of  which  she  should  be  president;  which  should 
enlist  the  best  and  foremost  women  of  Great  Britain,  and  through 
her  and  their  influence  lead  perhaps  to  the  forming  of  similar  soci- 
eties among  the  influential  women  of  other  nations  ; the  object  being 
to  carry  humane  education  fur  the  protection  of  man  and  beast  into 
the  schools  of  all  countries , also  to  prevent  wars  when  possible,  and, 
when  not  possible,  then  to  introduce  such  humane  regulations  as 
should  make  the  condition  of  the  sick,  wounded,  and  prisoners  more 
tolerable. 

I think  I never  saw  any  one  who  seemed  more  astonished  than  the 
gentlemanly  secretary  when  I declined  her  ladyship’s  invitation  to 
dine.  It  was  probably  the  first  instance  of  the  kind  within  his  expe- 
rience. But  the  fact  wras,  that  my  health  and  head  were  in  such 
condition,  that  I probably  could  not  have  sat  through  a formal  dinner. 
The  secretary  asked  me  to  put  in  writing  what  I had  said  to  him,  which 
I did.  Next  day,  June  15,  I took  a simple  lunch,  and  then  a cab  to 
Holly  Lodge,  Highgate,  her  residence,  where  I arrived  at  five  o’clock, 
and,  ordering  the  cabman  to  stop,  rang  the  bell.  I was  ushered  into 
the  mansion,  and  most  kindly  received.  But  her  ladyship  at  once 
said  to  me  that  she  had  invited  a party  to  meet  me,  and  I must 
remain,  after  which  she  would  send  me  to  my  lodgings. 

I remained  from  five  to  about  eleven  p.m.  I was  invited  to  look 
over  the  beautiful  grounds,  but  wras  compelled  to  decline  as  I did  not 
feel  able.  I was  then  invited  to  see  a fine  collection  of  relics  from 
Pompeii ; but  I did  not  feel  well  enough  to  look  at  these  but  a few 
moments,  and  then  sat  down.  I was  urged  to  take  a seat  at  the 
dining-table,  but  was  not  equal  to  that.  After  dinner  the  party 
gathered  around,  and  I had  opportunity  to  tell  my  mission.  It  was 
an  evening  I shall  never  forget,  nor  some  of  the  questions  that  were 
asked  me  by  various  persons.  “ Shall  you  see  the  Empress  Eugenie 
in  Paris  about  this?  " — “ Certainly , if  Providence  opens  the  way.  I 
did  not  expect  to  be  here  to-night.  I shall  be  glad  to  talk  with  the 
Empress  if  Providence  opens  the  way."  — “Is  your  American  paper 
to  be  put  on  sale  in  England?"  — “Ho,  sir , it  is  to  be  given  away. 
I want  a similar  one  established  here."  — “ Don't  you  want  money  to 
help  carry  on  the  work  in  America  ?"  — “ Ho,  sir : I came  to  England 
to  spend  money,  not  to  get  it."  And  so  on,  question  after  question  ; 
until  at  last  I said  in  substance  this  : “ Ladies  and  gentlemen,  I am 
not  well,  and  my  only  object  in  coming  here  to-night  is  this  : I 
understand  that  Miss  Burdett-Coutts  [this  wras  before  she  was  Baron- 
ess] is  perhaps  the  wealthiest  woman  in  England,  and  one  of  the 


PA  BIS. 


23 


best.  I think  it  in  her  power  to  accomplish  more  good  than  any 
woman  has  ever  accomplished  in  all  history,  by  entering  upon  this 
grand  movement  to  carry  humane  education  into  the  schools  of  all 
nations.  I think  she  can  enlist  the  best  women  of  Great  Britain,  and 
then  perhaps  at  the  courts  of  France,  Italy,  Germany,  Holland,  and 
possibly  other  countries,  to  form  similar  organizations,  and  so  bring 
an  immense  power  to  bear,  not  only  in  preventing  cruelt}’  to  God’s 
lower  creatures,  but  also  to  even  prevent  or  mitigate  the  severity  of 
wars.”  Thus  the  evening  passed  away.  I gave  the  Baroness  a file 
of  “ Our  Dumb  Animals,”  and  some  books  I had  obtained  in  Lon- 
don ; and  at  about  eleven  o’clock  stood  in  the  doorway,  not  knowing 
what  impression  I had  made,  to  bid  her  good-by.  “ You  will  come 
aud  see  me  again,  Mr.  Angell,  when  you  return  from  the  Continent, 
will  you  not?  ” said  Miss  Coutts,  as  she  took  my  hand.  I thought  a 
moment,  and  then  said,  “ If  any  thing  is  to  be  done  about  this  busi- 
ness, and  I can  help  you,  I will  come  with  pleasure ; but,  if  nothing 
is  to  be  done  about  it,  I don’t  know  why  I should  ever  call  again.” 

I did  not  understand  Miss  Coutts  to  promise  any  thing.  My  pres- 
ent impression  is,  that  she  did  not  personally  ask  me  any  questions, 
only  listened  to  what  others  said  to  me,  and  I to  them  : but  she  either 
did  promise,  or  determined  to  and  thought  she  did ; for  a few  weeks 
later  she  wrote  “The  London  Times,”  that  she  had  promised  an 
American  gentleman,  Mr.  Angell,  that  she  would  do  all  she  could  to 
promote  humane  education , and  would  redeem  that  promise  by  calling 
upon  all  teachers,  the  Council  of  Education,  and  the  National  Soci- 
ety’s Board  of  Education,  to  introduce  humane  teachings  into  the 
schools.  This  letter  coming  from  a lady,  who,  next  to  the  Queen, 
was  probably  more  highly  respected  than  any  other  in  Great  Britain, 
was  widely  republished,  and  of  course  attracted  great  attention.  It 
first  appeared  in  “ The  London  Times  ” of  Sept.  14,  1869. 


PARIS. 

The  inquiry,  whether  I should  see  Eugenie  in  Paris,  led  me  to 
think  that  I would  like  to  have  an  interview  with  her  and  the  Em- 
peror for  two  purposes,  — first,  to  put  before  her  the  same  plans  I had 
put  before  Miss  Coutts  ; and  second  this  : The  Emperor  had  publicly 
declared,  “ The  Empire  means  peace ; ” and  it  seemed  to  me,  that  if 
he  could  be  induced  to  propose  to  the  leading  powers  of  Europe  to 
disarm  a certain  equal  percentage  of  their  respective  standing  armies, 
say  ten  per  cent  to  begin  with,  one  of  two  things  must  happen  : — 
Either  his  proposition  would  be  accepted,  and  he  would  have  in  all 


24 


A V TO B 10GB A Pll I CA L SKETCHES. 


future  history  the  credit  of  having  inaugurated  this  great  movement  p 
or  it  would  be  rejected,  in  which  case  he  would  have  the  almost  equally 
great  honor  of  having  attempted  its  inauguration. 

His  Imperial  Highness  Prince  Louis  Lucien  Bonaparte,  cousin  to 
the  Emperor,  resided  at  London,  and  was  the  first  vice-president  of 
the  Royal  Society,  P.C.A.  Mr.  Colam  proposed  to  obtain  for  me 
from  him  letters  of  introduction  to  the  Emperor  and  Empress.  But 
his  Imperial  Highness  was  away.  Time  rolled  on.  Prince  Napoleon 
of  Paris  shot  and  killed  Victor  Noir  the  French  revolutionist ; and 
then  came  thickly  those  troubles  that  ended  only  with  the  German 
war,  the  conquest  of  France,  and  the  death  of  the  Emperor.  Even 
if  I had  received  the  letters  of  introduction,  it  was  probably  too  late  ; 
for  all  Germany,  as  I afterwards  learned,  was  at  that  moment  one 
great  military  camp,  ready  to  march  at  an  hour’s  notice,  even  the 
surgical  instruments  for  each  regiment  being  carefully  packed  (as  I 
was  told  by  a German  medical  man),  and  ready  for  instant  use. 

I have  mentioned  that  Prince  Napoleon  shot  and  killed  Victor  Noir 
the  French  revolutionist,  who  called  upon  him  as  bearer  of  a challenge 
to  fight  a duel  with  another  French  revolutionist.  I was  in  Paris  at 
the  time.  Some  eighty  thousand  French  workmen  attended  Victor 
Noir’s  funeral  just  outside  the  city  walls,  and  bore  his  body  on  their 
shoulders  to  the  grave  ; then  they  entered  the  city,  and  marched  down 
the  broad  avenue  of  the  Champs  Elysees  towards  the  palace  of  the 
Tuileries.  It  was  feared  that  there  would  be  bloodshed.  But  just 
as  the  great  procession  came  opposite  the  Palace  of  Industry,  and 
almost  in  sight  of  the  Emperor’s  palace,  suddenly  a body  of  gens 
cVarmes  filed  across  the  street ; immediately  behind  them  wheeled  in  a 
battalion  of  cavalry,  and  behind  them,  within  quick  call,  infantry  and 
artillery ; then  the  drums  were  beaten  three  times,  which  is  the 
French  method  of  reading  the  riot  act ; and  immediately  the  eighty 
thousand  vanished,  the  streets  were  empty,  and  Paris  was  safe.  The 
Emperor  could  control  Paris,  though  he  could  not  keep  out  the 
German. 

THE  FRENCH  SOCIETY. 

~ I attended  in  Paris  two  meetings  of  the  French  Society  for  Protec- 
tion of  Animals.  The  society  occupied  a suite  of  four  apartments, 
if  I remember  rightly,  and  had  a comfortable  hall,  seating  several 
hundreds,  for  its  monthly  meetings.  The  first  I attended  was  a 
monthly  meeting  of  no  particular  interest.  The  second  was  the 
annual  meeting  in  the  large  amphitheatre  of  the  Sorbonne.  which 
was  crowded  to  its  utmost  capacity  ; the  exercises  being  music,  song, 


SWITZERLAND. 


25 


recitations,  addresses,  and  the  distribution  of  about  four  hundred 
medals,  — gold,  silver,  and  bronze,  — to  those  of  all  ages,  who  during 
the  year  had  been  distinguished  for  various  acts  of  humanity  towards 
animals. 

Two  incidents  in  connection  with  this  meeting  I shall  always 
remember. 

A fine-looking  boy,  on  his  way  to  school  with  his  little  dinner- 
basket  or  pail,  had  found  in  the  street  a half-starved  dog ; and  he 
pitied  the  dog  so  much  that  he  gave  it  all  his  dinner,  and  fasted  him- 
self. The  society  heard  of  it,  and  awarded  him  a medal.  When  the 
president  announced  what  he  had  done,  and  called  upon  him  to  come 
forward  to  the  platform,  and  the  little  fellow  came  up  to  receive  his 
medal,  the  whole  audience  stood  up,  and  cheered  him. 

The  other  was  this : On  the  morning  of  the  meeting  I fell  in  with 
a full-faced,  fleshy  American  doctor  of  divinity,  and  invited  him  to 
go  with  me.  The  hall,  aisles,  and  platform  were  absolutely  packed. 
The  weather  was  intensely  hot.  The  reverend  doctor  was  in  a place 
on  the  platform  from  which  egress  was  impossible  without  great  dis- 
turbance. The  exercises  lasted  several  hours,  and  he  did  not  under- 
stand a word  of  French.  Happening  to  turn  around,  I saw  his  face 
covered  with  perspiration,  and  the  picture  of  despair.  The  thought 
came,  and  I leaned  over  and  said,  “ Doctor , do  you  believe  in  purga- 
tory?” A smile  came  over  his  face  as  he  replied,  u I begin  to.”  I 
have  never  met  him  sinde,  to  ask  his  opinion  of  societies  for  the 
prevention  of  cruelty  to  animals. 

While  in  Paris  I was  invited  by  a gentleman  connected  with  the 
French  Society,  to  dine  at  his  house  on  horse-meat ; the  use  of  which 
is  very  common  there,  and  saves  many  old  horses  past  service  from 
cruelty.  If  I had  not  known,  I should  have  supposed  it  some  kind 
of  wild  game,  and  the  taste  not  at  all  disagreeable. 

SWITZERLAND. 

From  Paris  I went  direct  to  Geneva,  Switzerland,  making  a con- 
siderable stop  in  that  beautiful  city,  and  four  days  for  rest  at  a 
chateau  perched  on  a cliff  of  Mont  Sal&ve  overhanging  the  valley  of 
Geneva,  and  built  upon  the  ruins  of  an  old  castle,  once  the  residence 
of  the  Dukes  of  Savoy.  The  city,  the  lake,  the  rivers  Arve  and 
Rhone,  and  men  and  horses  crawling  like  flies  along  the  roads  far 
beneath  me  ; occasionally,  the  sound  of  distant  church-bells,  — these 
were  the  sights  and  sounds,  as  I sat  at  my  window,  from  which  I 
could  toss  a stone  hundreds  of  feet  down  the  steep  side  of  the 
mountain. 


26 


AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


**  From  thence  to  the  foot  of  Mont  Blanc  at  Chamouni,  where  I 
spent  some  days  ; thence  over  the  Tete  Noir  Pass  to  Martigny,  the 
valley  of  the  Rhone,  Villeneuve,  the  Castle  of  Chillon,  Vevay,  Lau- 
sanne, Evian-les-Bains,  Freiburg,  Berne,  Thun,  Interlachen,  Lauter- 
brunnen,  Falls  of  the  Giesbach,  Brunig  Pass  and  Lakes,  to  Lucerne  ; 
and  thence  to  the  World’s  International  Congress  of  our  societies 
at  Zurich,  on  the  3d,  4th,  5th,  and  6th  of  August. 


THE  CONGRESS  AT  ZURICH. 

Here  I found  myself  the  only  delegate  from  America,  England 
being  represented  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Colam  and  two  others.  The 
city  hall  of  the  city  was  placed  at  our  disposal,  and  our  mornings 
devoted  to  discussions,  by  the  use  of  interpreters,  in  the  various  lan- 
guages of  our  respective  nations.  Little  did  Mr.  Colam  or  I then 
think,  that  good  Mrs.  Colam  would  so  soon  after  pass  into  the  un- 
known world ; and  that  the  interesting  and  highly  educated  young 
German  lady,  daughter  of  the  burgomaster  of  New  Brandenburgh 
uear  Berlin,  who  kindly  translated  to  us  all  that  was  said,  would  in 
a few  short  years  become  Mrs.  Colam.  But  so  it  has  happened. 

- Monday  evening  we  had  a public  reception.  Tuesday  afternoon 
and  evening,  a steamboat-excursion  on  the  lake,  with  music  and  flags 
of  the  nations ; supper  on  a beautiful  island  in  sight  of  the  snow- 
clad  Alps,  and,  on  our  return  in  the  evening,  fireworks  and  a partial 
illumination  of  the  city. 

Wednesday  afternoon,  a reception  at  a gentleman’s  chateau  just 
butside  the  cit}r,  and  a garden-concert  and  fireworks  in  the  evening ; 
tind  Thursday  afternoon  and  evening,  an  elegant  dinner,  in  a hall 
beautifully  decorated  with  flags  of  the  various  nations,  and  a band 
playing  the  various  national  melodies.  We  were  taken  to  the  hall 
in  the  private  carriages  of  wealthy  citizens. 

It  was  my  aim,  as  those  will  notice  who  have  read  my  ninth  letter 
in  October,  1869,  ^ Our  Dumb  Animals,”  to  bring  forcibly  before 
that  Congress  the  importance  of  humane  education.  The  closing 
words  of  my  written  and  afterwards  printed  report  to  the  Congress, 
which  will  be  found  in  November,  1869,  “ Our  Dumb  Animals,”  were  : 
■u Our  society  is  now  striving  [after  naming  other  things]  to  unite  all 
religious  and  political  parties  on  one  platform , for  the  purpose  of 
carrying  a humane  literature  and  education  into  all  the  schools  of  the 
country , and  thus  not  only  insure  the  protection  of  animals , hut  also 
the  prevention  of  crime , unnecessary  wai's , and  forms  of  violence. 
When  the  leading  minds  of  all  nations  shall  act  together  on  this  subject , 


NAMING  “ THE  ANIMAL  WOULD.” 


27 


and  the  nations  shall  be  humanely  educated , wars  between  nations  will 
end.” 

From  this  Congress,  with  Mr.  Colam  and  his  excellent  wife  I went 
through  Constance,  Lake  Constance,  Ragatz,  Pfeffersbad,  Via  Mala, 
by  the  Splugen  Pass  across  the  Alps  to  Italy  ; thence  through  Lake 
Como  to  Milan  ; thence  by  Lake  Maggiore,  the  Simplon,  Furca,  and 
most  beautiful  part  of  the  St.  Gothard  passes,  to  Lucerne,  where, 
after  a few  days’  stop,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Colam  returned  direct  to 
London. 

NAMING  “ THE  ANIMAL  WORLD.” 

I had  almost  forgotten  to  say,  that,  the  Royal  Society  having 
determined  to  publish  a monthly,  on  the  first  night  after  leaving 
the  Congress,  while  walking  in  the  grounds  of  the  Hotel  Schweizerhof, 
overlooking  the  beautiful  falls  of  the  Rhine,  Mr.  Colam  asked  me  to 
suggest  a name.  I suggested  “ Animal  Creation.”  Mr.  Colam  sug- 
gested “ World.”  We  both  agreed  that  “ World ” was  better,  and 
that  it  should  be  called  “ The  Animal  World;”  under  which  name 
it  is  now  known,  and  read  with  interest  wherever  our  humane  cause 
has  extended. 

DOWN  THE  RHINE. 

After  two  months  in  Alpine  and  trans- Alpine  Switzerland,  I started, 
Sept.  1,  down  the  Rhine,  stopping  in  Strasbourg,  Baden-Baden, 
Heidelberg,  Frankfort-on-the-Main,  Hamburg,  Wiesbaden,  Mayence, 
Coblentz,  Ems,  Bonn,  Cologne,  Diisseldorf ; thence  through  Holland, 
stopping  at  Utrecht,  Amsterdam,  The  Hague,  Rotterdam  ; thence 
through  Belgium,  stopping  at  Antwerp  and  Brussels ; and  so  back 
to  Paris,  which  I reached  Sept.  29.  My  letters  in  November  and 
December,  1869,  “Our  Dumb  Animals,”  give  a pretty  full  descrip- 
tion of  this  trip.  At  Heidelberg,  at  a large  out-door  festival,  I was 
pleased  to  see  numerous  pigeons  running  around  without  molestation, 
almost  under  the  feet  of  the  people,  picking  up  the  crumbs  that  fell 
from  the  tables. 

At  Frankfort,  I had  an  amusing  incident.  I arrived  at  the  hotel 
late  in  the  evening,  and  immediately  retired.  Next  morning,  when  I 
came  down  to  breakfast,  I found  my  bill  on  my  plate  (morning  bills 
being  the  custom  of  the  house,  as  I afterwards  learned)  ; and  on  it 
was  charged  forty-eight  kreutzers  (equivalent,  as  our  currency  then 
was,  to  about  forty-eight  cents  of  our  money)  for  candles , of  which  I 
only  had  one  small  one.  After  breakfast,  I went  to  the  clerk’s  desk 
to  pajr,  and  asked  if  that  was  the  customary  charge.  He  replied, 
quite  stiffly,  £hat  it  was.  I said,  “I  am  very  glad  to  learn  it.”  He 


28 


AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


looked  surprised,  having  probably  never  heard  a similar  remark  on 
a similar  occasion;  so  I added,  “Because  I am  writing  letters  for 
publication  in  the  United  States  ; and  it  will  be  quite  an  item  for  me, 
that  at  the  Hotel  de  Russie,  at  Frankfort-on-the-Main,  I paid  forty- 
eight  kreutzers  for  half  an  inch  of  one  small  candle.’ ’ He  took  the 
bill,  and  reduced  it  in  a moment  to  twenty-four  kreutzers,  which  I 
thought  quite  enough.  I concluded  to  spend  the  winter  in  Paris,, 
and,  if  possible,  improve  my  health,  which  much  needed  improving. 

THE  FIRST  “ANIMAL  WORLD.” 

Four  days  after,  on  Oct.  3,  1869, 1 received  from  Mr.  Colam  copies 
of  the  first  number  of  “ The  Animal  World,”  containing  the  letter  of 
Miss  Coutts  before  referred  to,  and  another  from  the  Lord  Bishop 
of  Gloucester  and  Bristol,  in  which  he  most  kindly  mentioned  myself, 
and  my  hearing  before  the  Royal  Society.  It  was  a beautiful  paper, 
splendidly  illustrated,  and  made  the  day  of  its  reception  a memorable 
one  to  me. 

A very  singular  incident  happened  just  here,  which  I shall  never 
forget.  Just  as  I was  opening  the  paper,  a little  bird  flew  to  my 
open  chamber-window,  and  sang  its  song.  With  a single  exception, 
it  was  the  only  instance,  during  a four-months’  residence  in  Paris, 
that  a bird,  to  my  knowledge,  came  to  my  chamber-window.  The 
other  was  almost  as  singular,  and  happened  three  da}Ts  later. 

Oct.  6,  when  I took  lodgings  at  No.  3 Avenue  d’Elyau,  overlook- 
ing the  Arc  de  Triomphe,  a white  dove  or  pigeon  flew  in  at  my  open 
window,  and  walked  about  the  room,  looking  at  me.  I spoke  kindly, 
and  offered  refreshments  ; but  presently  my  visitor  hopped  to  the 
window,  and  took  his  or  her  departure.  The  family  with  whom  I 
stopped  thought  it  very  singular. 

VERSAILLES. 

I will  tell  one  other  French  incident  that  pleased  me.  I went  out 
to  Versailles,  one  day,  to  see  the  great  picture-galleries.  After  walk- 
ing through  them  until  very  tired,  I went  outside  the  palace-grounds, 
into  a little  restaurant,  and  ordered  dinner.  I was  given  a small, 
square  table,  with  seats  for  four.  Presently  a large,  fine-looking 
dog  came  to  the  side  at  my  right ; another  to  the  side  fronting  me ; 
and  then  one  of  those  handsome  French  cats  seated  herself  in  the 
chair  at  my  left.  So  the  table  was  full ; and,  as  they  accepted  my 
hospitality,  we  four  dined  pleasantly  together. 


ITALY,  BAVARIA,  AUSTRIA,  AND  PRUSSIA. 


29 


ITALY,  BAVARIA,  AUSTRIA,  AND  PRUSSIA. 

In  January,  1870,  finding  my  health  very  much  improved,  I decided 
to  again  travel,  and  started  with  a party,  on  Jan.  24,  on  another  and 
longer  tour  through  Southern  France,  Italy,  Bavaria,  Austria,  and 
Prussia,  back  to  Paris,  making  stops  in  Lyons,  Marseilles,  and  Nice ; 
from  whence  I went  by  carriage  over  the  beautiful  Corniche  road, 
winding  along  the  shore  of  the  Mediterranean  on  the  right,  with  the 
snow-capped  Alps  and  Apennines  on  the  left ; now  across  valleys 
and  ravines ; and  again  through  the  queerest  of  old  Italian  towns, 
with  the  highest  of  houses  and  narrowest  of  streets,  through  which 
only  one  vehicle  could  pass  at  a time.  And  so  we  travelled  several 
days  ; stopping  at  Mentone,  San  Remo,  Alassio,  and  Savona,  where 
we  took  rail  for  Genoa.  In  Ital}r,  we  stopped  at  Genoa,  Turin, 
Bologna,  Florence,  Pisa,  Rome,  Naples,  Venice,  Verona  ; then,  cross- 
ing the  Alps  by  the  Brenner  Pass,  we  stopped  in  the  Tyrol,  at  Bozen 
and  Innsbruck  ; thence  to  Munich ; thence  to  Linz,  and  down  the 
beautiful  blue  Danube  to  Vienna ; thence  to  Prague,  Dresden,  Berlin, 
Cologne,  and  Paris,  which  we  reached  April  30.  (For  particulars, 
see  letters  fifteen  to  eighteen  inclusive,  published  in  “ Our  Dumb 
Animals”  of  April,  May,  June,  and  July,  1870.) 

In  travelling  down  the  French  and  Italian  coast,  as  before  stated, 
I was  much  pleased  to  find,  at  the  foot  of  long,  steep  hills,  men  with 
extra  horses,  which,  for  a small  compensation,  they  would  hitch  on, 
and  help  us  up  the  hills. 

In  Florence,  where  we  made  quite  a stop,*I  endeavored  to  start  a 
society  for  the  prevention  of  cruelty  to  animals,  but  could  not  stop 
long  enough.  One  has  since  been  founded  there. 

HIRAM  POWERS. 

• 

I had  there  one  memorable  conversation  with  the  distinguished 
American  sculptor  Hiram  Powers,  in  which  he  expressed  his  firm 
conviction  that  the  great  need  of  our  country  was  more  education  of 
the  heart. 

“ Educate  the  hearts  of  the  people  ” said  he,  “ and  the  heads  ivill 
take  care  of  themselves.  . . . Give  in  your  schools  rewards  to  the 
good  boys , not  to  the  smart  ones.  . . . God  gives  the  intellect: 
the  boy  should  not  be  rewarded  for  that.  . . . The  great  danger  of 
our  country  is  from  its  smart  men.  . . . Educate  the  heart , — edu- 
cate the  heart.  Let  us  have  good  men.”  These  were  the  words  of 
that  old  man  eloquent,  with  an  eye  like  an  eagle’s,  and  a face  full 
of  sunshine.  The  way  I first  met  him  was  amusing.  As  our  party 


30 


A UTOBIOGRA  PEICAL  SKETCHES. 


entered  his  studio,  no  one  being  in  sight,  the  first  object  that  attracted 
my  attention  was  the  bust  of  a fine-looking,  middle-aged  lady  of 
kindly,  benevolent  face.  I had  become  pretty  much  surfeited  with 
saints  and  martyrs  and  such  like,  and  here  was  something  that  was 
absolutely  refreshing  ; so  I burst  out  with  about  these  words,  “ Wellr 
thank  God!  we  have  found  at  last  the  bust  of  a good  Christian 
woma,n  of  the  nineteenth  century It  was  the  bust  of  Mrs.  Powers  ; 
and  Mr.  Powers,  though  unseen,  heard  every  word  I said.  I could 
not  have  had  a better  introduction. 

KEEPING  WARM. 

Bologna,  as  many  people  know,  is,  with  its  ancient  universit}’,  a 
very  famous  old  city ; but  the  principal  occupation  I found  there  was 
to  keep  warm.  On  the  night  of  my  arrival,  Feb.  13,  it  seemed 
impossible  to  heat  my  room,  with  its  enormous  chimney  and  fire- 
place, in  the  quaint  old  hotel,  which  perhaps,  like  the  hotel  I stopped 
at  in  Genoa,  was  built  before  the  discovery  of  America.  At  last  it. 
became  a vital  question,  on  which  I threw  aside  all  delicacy,  and, 
summoning  the  landlord,  told  him,  in  words  then  common  in  America, 
that,  “ if  it  took  the  last  chicken  in  the  Confederacy ,”  I must  be 
kept  warm  that  night.  I think  that  I paid,  next  morning,  about  three 
dollars  for  the  fuel  that  went  up  that  old  chimney  during  the  night. 

VENICE. 

At  Venice,  I was  stnlck  with  certain  things : First , the  kindness 
shown  to  the  pigeons,  which  were  fed  every  day  in  the  great  square 
of  San  Marco,  and  no  one  permitted  to  injure  them.  Second , the 
admirable  abattoir,  where  animals  used  in  the  city  for  food  were  kept 
in  most  excellent  condition,  — fed  and  watered  twice  a da}'  up  to  the 
time. of  killing;  calves  never  bled,  and,  like  cattle,  always  stunned 
before  they  were  killed  ; every  animal  examined  by  veterinary  surgeons 
before  killing,  and  its  meat  immediately  afterwards,  and  all  found 
diseased  condemned,  and  used  onl}T  for  manure.  And,  third , that  in 
that  city  there  was  probably  less  cruelty  to  horses  than  in  any  other 
in  the  world.  I suppose  I ought  to  add,  however,  that  there  were 
only  seven  horses  in  the  city.  These  belonged  to  a riding-school, 
and  were  not  used  enough  to  prevent  their  being  kept  iu  excellent 
condition. 

MUNICH.  BURIALS  OF  THE  DEAD. 

At  Munich,  I came  for  the  first  time  upon  a custom  that  prevails 
largely  through  Germany,  in  regard  to  the  burial  of  the  dead.  Adja- 


VIENNA.  — BERLIN. 


31 


cent  to  the  cemetery  is  a large,  airy  building,  with  many  rooms  and 
glass  sides,  to  which,  soon  after  death  is  declared,  the  body  of  every 
person,  rich  or  poor,  must  be  carried.  There,  neatly  attired  and 
usually  adorned  with  flowers,  in  plain  sight  of  all  passers,  it  must 
remain  three  days,  with  its  hand  fastened  to  a wire  connecting  with 
a bell,  which  the  slightest 'motion  will  ring.  At  the  end  of  three 
days,  the  burial  takes  place.  Remembering  that  my  own  father  once 
barely  escaped  being  buried  alive,  and  that  all  bodies  are  here  sub- 
jected to  competent  and  most  careful  inspection,  I could  well  under- 
stand the  wisdom  of  this  law.  I think  there  is  reason  to  fear  that 
thousands  of  people  have  been  buried  alive  in  America,  and  hope 
the  time  may  come  when  stringent  laws  in  regard  to  burials  will  be 
enacted  here. 

VIENNA. 

At  Vienna,  I found  a picture  which  amused  me  more  than  any 
other  I saw  in  Europe.  It  was  a pursued  foraging  party  that  had 
seized  a donkey,  loaded  him  with  chickens  and  other  plunder,  and 
were  trying  to  get  him  across  some  planks  over  a ravine  before  the 
galloping  pursuers  in  sight  could  overtake  them.  Some  were  pulling 
and  some  pushing,  their  faces  full  of  anxiety ; while  the  donkey,  with 
ears  down  and  back  up,  was  just  doing  his  level  best  for  his  country, 
to  save  himself  and  the  chickens. 

BERLIN. 

At  Berlin,  at  a restaurant,  I saw  the  largest  dog  in  that  city,  a grand 
specimen  of  the  St.  Bernard,  almost  as  large,  and  I doubt  not  quite 
as  brave,  as  a lion  ; and  good  as  he  was  great,  for,  without  hope  of 
reward,  he  walked  up  to  me,  wagging  his  tremendous  tail,  and  lapped 
my  face  with  his  huge  tongue. 

I should  also  add,  that  at  Berlin  I found  one  of  the  most  interest- 
ing objects  I had  met  with  in  all  Europe,  — an  aquarium,  fitted  with 
great  taste,  to  represent  underground  grottoes  ; immense  glass  tanks 
of  running  water  all  around  and  above  you,  through  which  the  light 
comes,  and  in  which  were  rocks,  plants,  and  shells,  gigantic  frogs, 
lobsters,  and  crawling  things  ; and  fish,  great  and  little,  some  weigh- 
ing, perhaps,  fifteen  or  twenty  pounds,  swimming  up  within  an  inch 
of  your  nose.  It  required  little  effort  to  imagine  one’s  self  near  ,the 
bottom  of  the  ocean  ; and  to  me,  such  a look  into  the  homes  and 
habits  of  the  dwellers  of  the  sea  was  of  more  interest  than  many 
art-galleries  I had  seen. 


32 


A U TOli  10G11A  PIIKJA L SKETCHES. 


CJOOD-BY  TO  PARIS. 

The  time  was  now  approaching  when  I must  leave  Paris,  and  set 
my  face  homewards.  I was  not  tired  of  it : I could  have  staid  a year, 
or  years,  longer,  and  not  have  been  tired  of  it.  It  is  a fascinating 
city.  But  my  health  was  improved,  the  great  objects  of  my  journey 
accomplished,  and  there  was  plenty  of  work  for  me  in  my  own 
country.  I had  visited  various  times  the  splendid  abattoir,  had 
noted  the  fine  condition  of  ’bus  and  draught-horses  (I  never  saw  but 
one  case  of  overloading  in  Paris,  and  in  that  the  driver,  after  speak- 
ing kindly  to  his  horses,  went  immediately  for  another  horse),  had 
familiarized  myself  with  the  public  buildings  and  parks  and  great 
collections  of  art,  and  admired  the  excellent  police  and  sanitary 
regulations. 

Some  things  I wished  could  have  been  otherwise.  I would  have 
liked  to  have  all  those  great  battle-pictures,  which  commemorate  the 
victories  of  France  over  other  nations  placed  in  private  galleries, 
or,  still  better,  destroyed  ; for  I thought  they  tended  to  war.  I would 
have  liked  to  have  the  Arch  of  Triumph  (built  to  commemorate  victo- 
ries over  Germany)  stripped  gf  its  bloody  adornments,  and  named 
the  “ Arch  of  Peace.”  I would  have  liked  to  have  a great  house  of 
refuge,  or  home  for  the  homeless,  where,  at  any  hour  of  the  day  or 
night,  any  poor  wanderer  upon  the  streets,  contemplating  suicide, 
could  ring  the  bell,  and  find  a plain  but  clean  bed,  and  plain  but 
wholesome  food,  and  friendly  advice.  4 Paris  was,  in  my  judgment, 
by  no  means  perfect ; but  the  condition  of  the  poorer  classes  in  that 
city  was  better  than  in  most  others,  and  life  more  desirable. 

June  8 I crossed  the  Channel  by  way  of  Boulogne  and  Folkstone, 
arriving  in  Loudon  at  9.30  p.m.  I brought  with  me  a gold  medal 
valued  at  about  forty  dollars,  awarded  by  the  French  Society  to  my 
friend  John  Colam,  for  his  heroism  in  stopping,  at  great  personal 
risk,  a bull- fight  in  London.  It  was  a pleasant  thing  to  bring: 

€ 

JOHN  COLAM. 

During  one  month,  from  June  9,  I was  a guest  at  Mr.  Colam’s 
home,  just  out  of  London  ; my  window  commanding  ten  miles  of 
beautiful  English  landscape,  rich  with  the  verdure  of  an  English  sum- 
mer. Daily,  morning  and  evening,  we  journeyed  in  and  out  together, 
discussing  our  plans,  and  watching  the  tides  of  humanity  which  ever 
ebb  and  How  through  the  arteries  of  that  great  city. 


PRIZES  IN  SCHOOLS. — HOME. 


33 


THE  LADIES’  HUMANE  EDUCATIONAL  COMMITTEE. 

“ The  Animal  World  ” was  established,  but  the  “ Ladies’  Humane 
^Educational  Committee  ” still  hung  fire.  Through  the  earnest  assist- 
ance of  Mr.  Colam  and  Mr.  Smithies,  who  were  with  me  heart  and 
soul,  I again  addressed  the  directors  of  the  Royal  Society,  and 
with  their  delegation,  including  Messrs.  Colam  and  Smithies,  again 
■visited  Miss  Burdett-Coutts,  passing  several  hours  at  her  mansion. 
Then  came  that  memorable  interview  with  Lord  Harrowby,  then  sev- 
enty-two years  of  age,  when  he  said  to  me,  that,  the  fashionable 
season  being  about  over,  it  was  too  late  to  establish  the  committee 
that  season.  A thought  struck  me;  and  I replied,  “ Your  lordship 
is  now  alive;  Miss  Burdett-Coutts  is  noiu  alive.  Next  year  at  this 
time  we  may  all  he  dead  and  buried.' 9 He  thought  a moment,  and 
then  said,  “The  committee  shall  be  formed  now.”  And  it  was 
formed  a few  days  after;  and  under  the  presidency  of  Miss  (now  the 
Baroness)  Burdett-Coutts,  has  been  doing  its  great  work  for  humanity 
•ever  since,  sending  its  appeal  to  seventy-five  thousand  teachers,  and 
causing  about  six  hundred  prizes  to  be  annually  distributed  to  pupils 
in  English  schools  who  write  the  best  compositions  on  kindness  to 
animals. 

PRIZES  IN  SCHOOLS. 

In  my  letter  of  May  17,  1869,  to  “ Our  Dumb  Animals,”  written 
from  Edinburgh,  on  my  way  to  London,  and  published  in  July,  1869, 

Our  Dumb  Animals,”  I expressed  the  ivish  that  we  might  offer 
prizes  in  the  schools  for  the  best  compositions  on  kindness  to  ani- 
mals. 

The  Royal  Society,  at  its  next  annual  meeting,  May  28,  1870, 
adopted  this  plan  by  giving  about  a hundred  prizes  to  pupils  in  Lon- 
don schools  ; and  that  was,  so  far  as  I am  aware,  the  first  instance 
in  the  world  in  which  a prize  was  ever  given,  in  any  school,  for  a 
composition  on  kindness  to  animals.  The  Royal  Society  has  since 
given  about  six  hundred  such  prizes  annually. 


HOME. 

On  July  9,  1870, 1 sailed  from  Liverpool,  on  the  Cunard  side-wheel 
steamer  “ Scotia,”  and  arrived  in  New  York  July  19,  to  learn,  that, 
while  we  were  on  the  ocean,  war  had  broken  out  between  France  and 
Germany,  and  the  great  struggle  had  commenced  which  ended  with 
the  capture  of  Paris. 

One  incident  happened  on  the  voyage  which  amused  us.  A some- 
what queer  specimen  from  the  Pacific  coast,  whom  we  called  “ Cali- 


34 


AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


forma,”  made  no  use  of  liis  state-room,  but  camped  day  and  night 
on  a lounge  in  the  gentlemen’s  small  cabin.  A very  athletic  and 
robust  gentleman  from  Boston  was  in  the  habit  of  having  a hogshead 
of  cold  ocean-water  pumped  up  every  morning  near  the  stern  of  the 
vessel,  for  his  personal  use,  and  then,  as  soon  as  he  got  up,  plunging 
in.  He  often  told  us,  in  the  little  cabin,  the  good  effects  of  this- 
practice.  One  cool  morning,  to  his  astonishment,  he  found  “ Cali- 
fornia,” who  had  been  a quiet  listener,  ahead  of  him,  and  up  to  his 
neck  in  his  hogshead  of  water.  The  result  was,  that  during  the 
remainder  of  the  voyage  “ California  ” could  not  straighten  his  back, 
and  was  compelled  to  walk  in  a position  strongly  suggestive  of  the 
initial  letter  of  the  State  from  which  he  came. 

LAST  LETTER  FROM  ENGLAND. 

On  June  23  I wrote  my  last  letter  from  London  ; and  in  it  I an- 
swered the  question,  What  do  you  think  of  travel  in  Europe ? It  was 
pretty  widely  republished  from  “Our  Dumb  Animals,”  in  Boston 
papers ; and,  as  it  contains  certain  conclusions  derived  from  fifteen 
months’  travel  and  residence  abroad,  I close  with  it  my  European 
experiences. 

London,  June  23, 1870. 

This  is  my  last  letter  before  starting  for  home;  and  I propose  in  it  to  answer 
in  advance  a question  that  will  be  often  asked,  — 

WIIAT  DO  YOU  THINK  OF  TRAVEL  IN  EUROPE? 

I think  that  as  an  educational  process , to  those  who  have  health  and  leisure,, 
it  is  desirable.  Those  who  suppose  our  systems  in  all  respects  perfect  may  find 
we  have  much  to  learn;  and  those  who  suppose  we  can  conquer  the  world  may 
conclude  that  we  had  better  try  first  to  conquer  ourselves,  and  build  up  at  home 
a united,  honest,  and  humane  nation. 

To  those,  on  the  other  hand,  who,  forgetting  the  greatness  of  their  own  age 
avid  country,  reverence  too  much  things  distant  and  things  of  the  past,  it  may 
be  useful  to  dissipate  their  romantic  fancies. 

CHOATE  AND  WEBSTER. 

I remember  how  once  Mr.  Choate  had  been  arguing  a good  share  of  a day  to 
convince  a jury  that  two  car-wheels,  standing  before  them  in  court,  and  looking 
precisely  similar,  were  in  fact  different;  when  Mr.  Webster,  in  reply,  demolished 
the  whole  by  saying,  “ Gentlemen  of  the  jury , there  they  are  ! Look  at  them  ! ” 

And  so  with  travel  here.  We  have  been  reading,  all  our  lives,  European  his- 
tory, romance,  and  poetry,  — Shakspeare,  lvanlioe,  and  the  Lady  of  the  Lake; 
of  Kenilworth  and  Warwick  Castles,  St.  Paul’s,  the  Tower,  and  Westminster 
Abbey;  of  picture-galleries  and  art-collections;  of  Swiss  mountains  and  lakes, 
and  German  forests  and  rivers;  of  Cologne,  Frankfort,  and  Bingen  on  the  Rhine; 
of  cathedrals  and  palaces,  and  the  old  cities  of  Italy, — until  they  have  assumed. 


LAST  LETTER  FROM  ENGLAND. 


35 


in  our  imaginations,  strange,  hazy,  gigantic,  and  unreal  forms;  and  when  we 
get  here  the  delusion  vanishes. 

Aside  from  their  historical  associations,  we  find  cathedrals  only  large,  richly 
ornamented  churches;  castles  and  monasteries,  very  uncomfortable  residences; 
many  palaces  not  very  unlike  our  best  American  hotels,  with  somewhat  larger 
halls  and  rooms  for  receptions  and  museums:  no  forests,  lakes,  or  rivers  that 
compare  with  ours  in  size,  and  very  few  that  compare  with  them  in  beauty;  the 
mountains  of  Switzerland  only  higher  than  those  of  our  Eastern  States,  which 
are  quite  high  enough;  the  skies  of  Italy  no  better  than  ours,  and  the  skies  of 
England  worse. 

IS  IT  A PLACE  FOR  INVALIDS  ? 

But  to  the  invalid  contemplating  European  travel,  certain  other  facts  are 
worthy  of  consideration. 

He  will  find,  in  spring,  cold  east  winds  all  over  Great  Britain  and  Northern 
Europe,  just  such  as  blow  across  Massachusetts  Bay,  with  none  of  the  heating 
arrangements  devised  for  our  protection.  He  will  find,  often,  large  rooms,  with 
small  fireplaces  and  great  flues.  In  his  chamber,  neither  hot  nor  cold  water- 
pipes,  candles  instead  of  gas,  sometimes  damp  sheets  and  uncomfortable  beds. 

In  winter,  cold  railway-cars,  each  like  an  omnibus  set  sideways,  half  the  pas- 
sengers compelled  to  ride  backwards;  no  ventilation  except  at  the  ends,  and 
those  sometimes  occupied  by  smokers;  no  dining  or  sleeping  cars,  or  gentlemen’s 
or  ladies’  saloons,  so  far  as  I have  seen,  in  any  car,  and  the  stops  at  way-stations 
short.  Fast  trains  expensive,  cheap  trains  slow,  and  the  best  trains  in  the  night. 
Custom-house  examinations,  and  uncomfortable  old  diligences;  irregularity  of 
meals  and  sleep;  dinners  from  one  to  twro  hours  long,  with  a multitude  of  courses 
he  does  not  want,  but  must  sit  through  for  others  he  does.  Over  a large  part 
of  the  Continent,  bad  water;  and  in  some  of  its  towns  and  cities,  beggars,  fleas, 
and  malaria. 

He  will  find  many  Continental  cities  and  towns  noisy  at  night  with  bells, 
shoutings,  and  cracking  of  whips.  If  he  retires  early,  perhaps  doors  on  each 
side  of  his  room,  an  uncarpeted  floor  overhead,  and  his  neighbors  stirring  until 
one  or  two  o’clock  in  the  morning.  Few  of  the  sociable  parlors  found  at  home. 
If  sick,  a physician  who  knows  nothing  of  him,  of  whom  he  knows  nothing, 
and  with  whom,  perhaps,  he  can  only  communicate  through  an  interpreter;  lan- 
guages he  cannot  understand ; incomprehensible  currencies,  and  little  cheatings 
and  swindlings  without  number. 

Add  to  all  these,  absence  from  friends  and  home,  and  the  certain  discomfort, 
in  nine  cases  out  of  ten,  of  two  voyages  across  the  Atlantic,  and  it  would  cer- 
tainly seem  that  the  invalid  should  well  consider  before  undertaking  a tour  of 
Europe. 

HOME. 

And  after  all,  for  the  comfort  of  those  who  prefer  staying  at  home,  — speak- 
ing from  more  than  a year’s  experience,  — I should  say,  that  I have  seen  hardly 
a finer  building  in  Europe  than  our  National  Capitol;  or  a more  beautiful  work 
of  art  than  Crawford’s  equestrian  statue  of  Washington,  at  Richmond;  or  a 
more  charming  view  than  from  the  top  of  Mount  Holyoke;  or  a finer  stage-ride 
than  over  the  Hoosac  Mountain,  from  North  Adams  to  Greenfield;  or  a better 
hall  than  our  Music  Hall;  or  more  commodious  places  of  public  amusement  than 
ours;  or  a greater  variety  of  beautiful  scenery  than  within  ten  miles  of  Boston. 
If  you  love  Nature  in  her  grandest  or  most  beautiful  forms,  you  need  cross  no 


36 


A UTOHIOGUA  PlllC A L SKETCHES. 


ocean  to  see  them ; and  as  for  art, — which  is  only  the  imitation  of  nature, — 
you  may  go  through  the  dead  galleries  of  Europe  in  vain  for  the  pleasure  of  one 
laughing  child,  or  happy  animal,  or  grand  old  forest-tree. 

At  home,  under  one  language,  currency,  and  law,  you  have  a country  reach- 
ing across  a continent,  and  including  almost  every  variety  of  climate  and  pro- 
duction ; a country  full  of  villages,  churches,  and  schools,  in  whose  homes  are 
hooks  and  newspapers,  and  over  which  you  may  travel  thousands  of  miles  without 
meeting  a beggar.  I have  seen  it  from  New  England,  and  the  high  table-lands 
of  Minnesota,  to  the  orange-groves  of  Florida;  and  I declare,  that  for  variety  of 
magnificent  scenery,  and  facilities  of  inter-communication,  I believe  there  is  not 
its  equal  in  the  world.  G.  T.  A. 


ONE  THING  MORE. 

And  yet  I should  add  one  tiling  more,  while  speaking  thus  highly 
of  my  own  country;  viz.,  that  I saw  many  things,  both  in  Great 
Britain  and  on  the  Continent,  as  those  who  read  my  European  letters,* 
before  referred  to,  will  find,  which  in  my  judgment  we  might  profit- 
ably copy. 

I was  told,  before  starting,  that  I should  meet  many  very  “ disagree- 
able English  people.”  I can  say,  that  from  the  time  I first  set  foot 
in  England,  up  to  that  long  and  too  friendly  article  of  Mr.  Colam’s,  in 
“ The  Animal  World,”  of  June,  1872,  — in  which  he  undertook  to  tell 
the  good  work  he  thought  I had  accomplished,  — I received  an  almost 
unbroken  series  of  kindnesses  from  English  people. 


FIRST  BAND  OF  MERCY  IN  THE  WORLD. 

in  December,  1875,  five  years  after  my  return,  when  that  good 
woman,  Catharine  Smithies,  who  had  enlisted  in  our  humane  work 
many  years  before  I saw  England,  had,  by  her  own  personal  exer- 
tions, caused  to  be  established  the  first  u Band  of  Mercy  ” in  England 
and  the  world , she  endeavored  to  share  with  me  even  that  great 
honor , by  writing  me,  Dec.,  20,  1875,  in  a letter  which  I preserve 
as  one  of  my  choicest  treasures  : — 

“I  do  not  forget  that  you  it  was  that  urns  the  means  in  God’s  hand  of  begin- 
ning the  Ladies’  Society,  one  fruit  of  which  is  the  present  one.” 

To  which  I answer,  that  I do  not  forget  that  it  was  Mrs.  Smithies  and 
her  excellent  son,  who  were  the  means,  in  God’s  hand,  of  bringing 
about  that  interview  at  the  house  of  Miss  Coutts  which  enabled  me 
to  lay  before  her  the  plans  I had  already  laid  before  them,  and  which 
resulted  in  the  Ladies’  Societ}T  or  committee,  to  which  she  refers. 

My  last  impressions  of  England  can  be  no  better  expressed  than 
in  the  words  I wrote  from  London,  June  7,  1869,  soon  after  my  first 


IMPRESSIONS  OF  ENGLAND. 


CHICAGO. 


37 


arrival,  and  which  were  published  in  July,  1869,  u Our  Dumb  Ani- 
mals,” as  follows : — 

IMPRESSIONS  OF  ENGLAND. 

For  the  past  few  weeks  I have  been  mingling  constantly  with  the  menr 
women,  and  children  of  the  great  middling  classes,  who  compose  the  body  of 
England  and  Scotland.  I have  found  them  orderly,  law-abiding,  ready  to  do 
kindness,  expressing  kind  feelings  towards  our  country,  good  fathers,  mothers, 
brothers,  sisters,  husbands,  and  wives.  I have  found  great  respect  for  public 
worship,  and  all  good  things,  — the  streets  of  cities  on  Lord’s  Day  almost  as  quiet 
as  a country  village;  in  their  houses,  happy,  healthy,  ruddy  faces,  flowers,  pic- 
tures, and  birds;  at  the  great  Derby  races  the  other  day,  with  half  a million  of 
people  present,  less  rowdyism  than  I have  seen  at  home  at  some  country  musters. 
American  as  I am,  and  proud  as  I am  of  my  country,  I doubt  much  whether  our 
average  of  honesty,  morality,  and  religion,  reverence  for  God,  and  love  for  man, 
is  higher  than  that  of  the  middling  classes  in  England  and  Scotland.  I need 
not  speculate  upon  the  probabilities,  pecuniarily,  of  a conflict  between  this 
people  and  ourselves,  whether  we  should  be  stronger  or  England  weaker  for  the 
loss  of  Canada  or  Ireland.  I need  not  count  her  tremendous  navy,  and  almost, 
innumerable  mercantile  marine,  easily  armed.  I need  not  picture  the  cost  and 
devastation  each  might  inflict ; but  I ask  in  the  name  of  humanity  whether  it  is 
necessary  that  two  great  Christian  nations,  praying  every  night  and  morning  to 
the  same  God,  and  looking  forward  to  a common  inheritance  in  the  same  heaven, 
shall  be  plunged,  now  or  at  any  future  period,  into  a fratricidal  war  ? For  the 
sake  of  humanity  and  civilization,  our  common  objects  here,  and  our  common 
hope  hereafter,  God  forbid ! I know  nothing  of  that  statesmanship  which  seeks 
to  aggrandize  one  nation  at  the  expense  of  another:  I see  no  reason  why  three 
impartial  men  cannot  settle  questions  between  nations,  as  well  as  individuals. 
But  if  all  other  means  were  to  fail,  I for  one  would  say,  Let  us  pay  all  losses  our- 
selves, send  a receipted  bill  to  England,  and  hand  down  to  posterity  the  noblest 
example  a nation  ever  set.  We  are  strong  and  rich.  The  world  knows  it.  We 
can  afford  to  be  generous.  G.  T.  A. 


CHICAGO. 

The  Hod.  John  C.  Dore  of  Chicago,  who  had  been  president  of  its. 
Board  of  Trade,  also  of  its  Board  of  Education,  and  was  then  one 
of  two  senators  representing  his  city  and  county  in  the  Legislature  of 
Illinois,  had  been  from  college  days  my  personal  friend.  He  had 
from  my  first  movements  in  Boston  taken  great  interest  in  the  preven- 
tion of  cruelty  to  animals,  and  had  obtained  the  enactment  in  Illinois 
of  a most  stringent  code  of  laws  for  their  protection.  A few  weeks 
after  my  return  from  England,  he  was  in  Boston,  and  urged  me  to 
visit  Chicago,  which  was  then,  if  not  the  most  cruel  city,  certainly  one 
of  the  most  cruel  cities,  of  the  world.  I thought  it  a duty  to  comply 
with  his  request;  and  on  Oct.  1,  1870,  arrived  in  that  city,  makings 
my  home  at  his  house,  and  soon  after  began  my  investigations.  Old 
horses  were  abandoned  in  cold  weather,  and  turned  out  on  the  prairie 


38 


A UT0BI0GRAPU1CAL  SKETCHES. 


to  starve.  Just  about  the  time  I came  there,  two  horses  died  of 
starvation  ; and  the  man  who  caused  it  went  unpunished.  A cow 
run  over  by  an  engine  in  the  south  part  of  the  city,  and  both  her  fore- 
feet cut  off,  was  permitted  to  lie  in  a public  street  twenty-four  hours 
with  nobody  to  care  for  her ; rough  men  and  boys  looking  at  her, 
some  laughing  at  her,  and  some  poking  her  with  sticks. 

That  was  Chicago  in  1870.  Men  were  too  busy  trying  to  make 
money  to  think  of  any  thing  else.  It  would  require  pages  to  tell  the 
various  forms  and  cases  of  cruelty  I discovered  in  that  city.  Then 
with  an  old  hat  and  coat  I went  to  the  stock-yards,  and  sat  on  the 
fences,  and  walked  about,  and  watched  the  piles  of  dead  and  dying 
taken  off  the  cars,  sometimes  a thousand  or  more  in  a single  day  ; 
the  manner  of  loading  with  spike-poles  and  pitch-forks,  sometimes 
thirty  or  more  holes  made  through  the  hide  of  a single  animal,  and 
that,  too,  when  the  animal  was  trying  to  do  its  best.  I said  to  one 
man,  I should  think  there  was  danger  of  putting  out  their  eyes.  He 
said  they  didn’t  care  if  they  did.  The  water  was  shut  off  from  those 
stock-yards  every  Saturday  night  till  Monday  morning.  During  the 
long,  intensely  hot  Sundays  of  summer,  while  church-bells  were  ring- 
ing, and  the  people  of  Chicago  were  gathering  in  the  churches  to 
pray  for  God’s  mercy,  tens  of  thousands  of  animals  were  standing 
in  those  stock-yards,  within  sight  of  those  church-spires,  and  within 
sound  of  those  sabbath  bells,  from  Saturday  night  until  Monday 
morning,  without  one  drop  of  water.  In  company  with  Mr.  Dore,  I 
called  upon,  and  wras  introduced  to,  the  editors  of  the  various  Chicago 
dailies,  — the  “Tribune,”  “Times,”  “Post,”  “Journal,”  and 
“ Staats-Zeitung,”  — laid  before  them  my  plans,  and  obtained  their 
unanimous  agreement  to  sustain  me  in  attempting  to  form  a humane 
society  in  Illinois. 

ILLINIOS  HUMANE  SOCIETY. 

On  Nov.  8 I engaged  the  back  office  of  the  Connecticut  Mutual 
Life  Insurance  Company,  154  Washington  Street ; and  on  Nov.  10, 
in  all  the  daily  papers  of  Chicago  appeared  an  article  of  about  two 
columns,  written  by  me,  giving  an  account  of  the  progress  of  this 
work  in  other  cities  and  States,  and  the  great  need  of  it  in  Chicago 
and  Illinois.  This  article  was  signed  by  Mr.  Dore  and  eight  other 
prominent  citizens.  From  this  time  to  March  9,  when  I started  for 
Boston,  I was  constantly  engaged,  assisted  by  Mr.  Dore  and  other 
citizens,  in  the  founding  and  establishing  of  the  “ Illinois  Humane 
Society,”  receiving  also  great  aid  from  the  press. 

I called  upon  about  a hundred  of  the  most  prominent  men  and 


FIRST  CHURCH  IN  AMERICA. 


39 


firms,  and  talked  with  others  without  number,  distributed  a large 
amount  of  humane  literature,  procured  at  my  own  expense  a seal, 
engaged  a large  public  hall  in  which  to  organize,  and  hired  at  my  own 
expense  the  best  organist  in  the  city  to  help  fill  it.  He  wanted  forty 
dollars,  but  finally  consented  to  take  twenty  dollars.  To  attempt  to 
give  in  detail  the  experiences  of  those  months  in  Chicago,  resulting 
in  the  formation  of  the  “Illinois  Humane  Society,”  with  Hon.  John 
C.  Dore  and  other  prominent  men  as  its  directors,  and  Edwin  Lee 
Brown  as  its  first  president,  would  require  a small  volume.  It  cost 
me  a vast  deal  of  hard  work,  much  anxiety,  and  about  six  hundred 
dollars  in  money.  It  has  resulted  in  the  prevention  of  immense 
cruelty  in  that  city,  and  in  a largely  increased  humane  protection  of 
from  seven  to  eight  millions  of  animals  that  annually  pass  into  and 
through  those  great  stock-yards.  I call  it  a good  investment.  I 
would  not  sell  it  for  the  best  ten  thousand  dollars  ever  made  in  that 
•city. 


1871. 

Returning  to  Boston,  March,  1871,  I found  our  Massachusetts 
Society  had  only  a few  hundred  dollars  in  its  treasury,  and  that  funds 
must  be  raised,  or  the  officers  discharged.  I laid  plans  before  the 
directors,  and  prepared  an  appeal  to  the  people  of  the  State,  that 
was  widely  published.  It  had  been  already  decided  to  hold  a fair. 
As  the  result  of  the  appeal  and  the  fair,  which  was  managed  with 
great  ability  by  our  secretary,  Hon.  Frank  B.  Fay,  assisted  by  Mrs. 
William  Appleton  and  others,  we  received  from  March  23,  1871,  to 
Aug.  1,  1872,  about  thirty-eight  thousand  three  hundred  and  seventy- 
five  dollars. 

FIRST  CHURCH  IN  AMERICA. 

April,  1871,  on  invitation  of  the  “ Ladies’  Society  of  Philadel- 
phia,” Mrs.  Caroline  E.  White,  president,  I lectured  in  Mercantile 
Hall,  Philadelphia,  and  in  May  repeated  the  lecture  in  the  Church 
of  the  Unity,  Boston,  which  was  probably  the  first  church  in  Amer- 
ica, and  perhaps  the  first  in  the  world,  in  which  a lecture  on  cruelty 
to  animals  was  ever  given  by  a layman  on  Lord’s  Day.  In  both  cities 
it  was  very  fully  and  widely  reported,’ quite  a number  of  papers  giv- 
ing all,  or  most,  of  the  lecture,  the  subject  being  new  in  this  country. 
Subsequently,  during  the  year,  I lectured,  or  gave  addresses,  iu 
Boston  and  various  Massachusetts  cities  and  towns,  and  wrote  a 
variety  of  articles  for.  the  press  ; particularly  on  the  danger  of  eating 
ilie  meats  of  animals  killed  or  injured  in  transportation , the  danger  of 


40 


A UTOHIOGllAPlllCAL  SKETCHES. 


using  lead  pipes,  and  regulations  to  increase  the  safety  of  travel  on 
railroads. 

1872. 

In  February  of  this  year,  there  was  reported  to  be  danger  of  diffi- 
culty with  England.  The  papers  stated  that  the  President  was  in 
consultation  with  Gen.  Sheridan  ; fortifications  were  to  be  put  in 
order,  the  manufacture  of  rifles  largely  increased,  etc.  At  the  same 
time  came  this  telegram  from  England:  “ Prayers  were  offered  yes- 
terday in  all  the  churches  in  Sheffield,  for  the  prevention  of  war  between 
England  and  the  United  States .” 

I immediately  wrote  an  article,  widely  published  in  Boston  papers, 
on  the  folly  of  war  with  England,  and  calling  upon  our  American 
churches  to  join  the  prayer  of  the  churches  at  Sheffield. 

In  April  I wrote  letters  published  in  the  Boston  “Daily  Adver- 
tiser, ” suggesting  various  reforms  needed,  and  urging  our  wealthy, 
unemployed  young  men  to  organize  a “ Reform  Club.”  Some  time 
after,  I learned  that  such  a club  had  been  formed  in  Philadelphia. 

In  this  same  month  I urged  through  the  papers  the  furnishing  of 
seats  for  shop-girls,  where  they  could  occasional^  sit  down ; the  cus- 
tom in  Boston  stores  being  to  require  them  to  stand  all  day. 

ESSAY  ON  CATTLE-TRANSPORTATION. 

Early  in  the  year  our  Society  offered  a prize  of  one  hundred  dollars 
for  the  best  essay  on  the  transportation  of  animals.  I wrote  under 
the  assumed  name  of  “ Liter  a.”  The  committee,  Hon.  J.  C.  Con- 
verse, chairman  of  our  State  board  of  railroad  commissioners,  and  Ex- 
Mayor  Hon.  and  Dr.  N.  B.  Shurtleff,  awarded  the  prize  to  my  essay, 
which  I presented  to  the  Society.  This  essay  was  widely  noticed  by 
the  press ; and  some  fifteen  to  twenty  thousand  copies  were  printed 
and  put  before  Congress,  legislatures,  and  elsewhere.  It  is  still 
circulated. 

THE  CHECK-REIN  ESSAY. 

On  May  15  I published  an  essay  on  the  check-rein,  which  was 
republished  in  newspaper  and  pamphlet  form  widely  in  this  country 
and  Europe,  being  translated  into  various  European  languages.  I 
think  it  has  now  the  widest  circulation  of  any  publication  of  its  kind. 

MARRIAGE. 

^Nov.  7 I was  married  to  Eliza  A.  Martin  of  Nahant,  formerly 
Eliza  A.  Mattoon  of  Northfield,  Mass.,  and  thereby  secured  a good 
wife  and  happy  home  to  help  in  future  labors. 


FIRST  TEACHERS'  CONVENTION  IN  AMERICA.  41 


In  this  year  occurred  the  great  Boston  fire,  burning  up  about  one 
hundred  millions  of  dollars’  worth  of  property.  I lost  several  trunks 
containing  important  letters  and  various  articles  of  much  personal 
value. 


1873. 

FIRST  LAW  ON  OVERLOADING. 

In  January  my  article  on  overloading  was  adopted  by  Bishop  in 
his  book  on  “ Statutory  Crimes,”  as  sound  law,  and  was,  I think , the 
first  laic  ever  published  on  what  constitutes  overloading. 

UNITED-STATES  MAILS  IN  LOCKED  WAGONS. 

On  Feb.  Ill  urged,  through  “ The  Boston  Daily  Advertiser,”  the 
importance  of  carrying  United-States  mails  in  covered  and  locked 
wagons  ; which  have  since  been  adopted.  They  w ere  then  carried  in 
open  wagons  wdth  little  care. 

FIVE  QUESTIONS  ANSWERED. 

March  1 my  paper  entitled  “ Five  Questions  Answered  ” appeared 
in  “ The  Boston  Transcript.”  This  has  had  a circulation  of  between 
one  and  two  hundred  thousand  in  pamphlet  form,  and  has  been  widely 
reprinted  by  papers  in  this  and  other  countries.  During  this  year, 
in  addition  to  articles  for  the  press,  I gave  lectures  and  addresses  in 
various  Massachusetts  cities  and  towns  ; also  in  Toronto  and  Mont- 
real, Canada  ; also,  on  invitation  of  the  leading  summer  residents  of 
Newport,  R.I.,  in  the  Academy  of  Music  there. 

HUMANE  METHODS  OF  KILLING  ANIMALS. 

In  September  I obtained  the  consent  of  Dr.  D.  D.  Slade,  pro- 
fessor of  zoology  at  Harvard  University,  and  one  of  the  directors  of 
our  society,  to  prepare  a pamphlet  on  humane  methods  of  killing  ani- 
mals; which  has  had  wide  circulation,  and  done  much  good.  So  far 
as  I know,  it  icas  the  first  pamphlet  of  its  kind  ever  published. 

FIRST  TEACHERS’  CONVENTION  IN  AMERICA. 

On  Dec.  30  I addressed  the  annual  convention  of  Massachusetts 
State  teachers  at  Worcester,  Mass.  I thought  it  important  that 
Massachusetts  teachers  should  know  more  than  they  did  about  our 
work ; and  wrote  their  president,  proposing  to  address  them  at  my 
own  expense,  as  was  my  usual  custom.  He  accepted  the  proposal, 


42 


A UTOBIOGIiAPIIICAL  SKETCHES. 


and  cordially  invited  me  to  do  so.  But  when  I reached  Worcester 
and  the  convention,  I found  the  matter  had  been  considered,  and 
probably  had  been  decided,  like  peace  and  temperance,  irrelevant  to 
a teachers’  convention.  At  any  rate,  the  president  said  that  he  should 
be  able  to  give  me  but  little  time.  I had  come  at  considerable  per- 
sonal inconvenience  and  expense  ; had  brought  a man  with  me,  and 
a large  package  of  humane  literature  to  be  gratuitously  distributed. 
I was  kept  waiting  the  entire  evening,  listening  to  discussions  of 
little  importance  ; and  at  last,  at  about  nine  o’clock,  when  the  conven- 
tion had  been  in  session  all  day,  and  the  teachers  were  just  putting 
on  their  hats  and  shawls  to  leave,  the  president  announced  for  the 
first  time,  that  a gentleman  desired  to  address  the  convention  on 
“ cruelty  to  animals The  announcement  was  received  with  a shout 
of  laughter  from  one  end  of  the  hall  to  the  other.  I think  I was 
never  more  indignant  in  my  life  than  when  I strode  on  to  the  plat- 
form that  evening. 

I said  that  the  great  teacher  Agassiz,  whose  name  towered  above 
all  other  teachers  as  Mount  Washington  among  little  hills,  was  a firm 
believer  in  the  immortality  of  animals.  I said  that  hundreds  of  thou- 
sands of  these  poor  creatures  were  dying  every  year  on  our  cattle- 
cars  from  want  of  food  and  water,  and  their  dead  and  diseased  bodies 
were  sold  in  our  markets  for  food,  and  every  person  in  that  audience 
was  liable  on  each  and  every  day  of  the  year  to  eat  the  dangerous 
meats  of  these  diseased  animals  ; and  then  I struck  into  the  great 
field  of  humane  education,  — the  connection  between  cruelty  and  crime , 
and  how  the  remedy  was  envoy  down  in  the  public  schools.  I talked 
until  nearly  ten  o’clock,  and  the}'  stopped  to  hear  me.  At  the  close 
they  said  that  no  matter  more  important  had  come  before  their  con- 
vention. I agreed  with  them.  It  is  quite  likely  my  aim  was  better 
accomplished  than  it  wTould  have  been  with  smooth  sailing,  and  an 
open  sea.  My  impression  is,  from  my  reading  and  information , that 
this  ivas  probably  the  first  teachers'  convention  ever  addressed  on  this 
subject  in  this  country , and  perhaps  in  the  ivorld. 

1874. 

During  this  year  I gave  a lecture,  entitled  “ The  Relations  of  Ani- 
mals that  can  speak,  to  those  that  are  dumb,"  and  addresses,  before 
a large  number  of  influential  audiences,  — among  them  the  Legislatures 
of  Connecticut  and  New  Hampshire;  the  Connecticut  State  Teach- 
ers' Association  at  New  Haven;  the  Neic-England  Methodist  Con- 
ference of  some  three  hundred  clergymen;  the  Congregational  clergy 


“PROTECTION  OF  ANIMALS.” 


43 


•of  Boston  and  vicinity ; the  Essex-county,  Mass.,  Unitarian  clergy ; 
■a  meeting  of  Boston  clergy  at  Mrs.  Appleton'1  s ; the  great  camp-meet- 
ing at  Martha’s  Vineyard;  the  JNeic- Hampshire  State  Normal  School ; 
the  Young  Men’s  Christian  Union;  various  churches  on  Sundays , 
and  others. 


FIRST  LECTURES  AND  ADDRESSES  IN  AMERICA. 

In  1847  Dr.  John  C.  Warren  of  Boston,  father  of  Mrs.  William 
.Appleton,  gave  an  address  before  the  Massachusetts  Legislative  Agri- 
cultural Society,  in  which  he  denounced  cruelty  to  the  horse.  And, 
prior  to  any  of  mine,  Mr.  Bergh  gave  an  address  before  the  Agricul- 
tural Society  of  Putnam  County,  Conn.,  and  possibly  elsewhere. 
But,  so  far  as  I know,  my  lectures  and  addresses  on  the  general  sub- 
ject of  cruelty  to  animals  have  been  the  first  ever  given  in  this  country , 
and  perhaps  in  the  ivorld , before  legislatures , universities , colleges , 
city , county , state , and  national  conventions  of  clergy , normcd  schools , 
high  schools , Sunday-school  conventions , churches  on  Lord’s  Days , 
camp-meetings , national , state , and  local  granges , penitentiary  and 
house-of -correct ion  convicts , and  some  other  audiences. 

Of  course  I encountered  many  obstacles  and  hardships;  but,  on 
the  other  hand,  I had  many  pleasant  experiences.  At  the  close  of 
my  address  to  the  New-England  Methodist  Conference,  a clergyman 
rose,  and  moved  a unanimous  vote  of  thanks.  “ Make  it  a stand- 
ing vote , brother ,”  said  another  voice,  and  up  went  the  whole  great 
audience. 

The  Sunday  preceding  my  address  to  the  State  Normal  School  of 
New  Hampshire,  the  clergyman  read  in  church  a notice  of  my  address, 
to  which  was  added,  “There  will  be  no  collection.  Mr.  Angell 
speaks  upon  this  subject  because  he  likes  to,  pays  his  own  expenses, 
and  only  asks  his  audiences  to  listen.”  u God  bless  him!  ” said  the 
clerg3’man.  I shall  never  forget  that  “ God  bless  him!  ” 

During  this  year  I collected  and  prepared  a large  number  of 
humane  selections  for  a series  of  school-readers  ; also  appeared  before 
the  Joint  Committee  on  Agriculture,  at  the  State  House,  to  advocate 
a reform  in  transportation  and  slaughtering. 

PROTECTION  OF  ANIMALS. 

But  perhaps  the  most  important  work  of  the  year  was  the  very 
careful  preparation  of  the  paper,  entitled  “ Protection  of  Animals ,” 
which  I read  before  the  annual  meeting  of  “ the  American  Social 
Science  Association”  in  New-York  City,  May  21.  It  was  first  pub- 
lished by  the  association,  subsequently  by  the  Massachusetts  Society 


14 


A UTOBIOGRA PIIICAL  SKETCHES. 


for  the  Prevention  of  Cruelty  to  Animals,  has  been  put  before  Con- 
gress, and  had,  and  is  now  having,  a very  wide  circulation  in  this  and 
other  countries. 

DIRECTOR  OF  AMERICAN  SOCIAL  SCIENCE. 

Soon  after,  I was  elected  a director  of  “ the  American  Social 
Science  Association,”  an  office  which  I have  held  ever  since. 

1875. 

During  this  year  T gave  some  forty  lectures  and  addresses  on  the 
prevention  of  cruelty  to  animals,  before  a wide  variety  of  audiences,, 
in  Massachusetts,  Maine,  New  Hampshire,  and  Rhode  Island,  includ- 
ing the  faculties  and  students  of  “ Harvard  University ,”  “ Dart- 
mouth” “Amherst,”  and  “ Williams”  colleges , “ Mount  Holyoke 
Female  Seminary ” “ the  New  - England  Agricultural  Society” 
“ State  Normal  School  of  Rhode  Island ,”  “Massachusetts  State 
Normal  School  at  Framingham  ” and  various  union  meetings  of 
churches  on  Lord’s  Days.  I thought  it  important  to  interest  the 
young  gentlemen  in  our  colleges,  and  wrote  the  various  presidents 
of  those  before  named,  with  the  above. result. 

FIRST  COLLEGE. 

My  lecture  before  the  faculty  and  some  four  hundred  students  of 
Dartmouth  College,  in  the  college  chapel,  on  Oct.  4,  1875,  was,  so 
far  as  I am  informed , the  first  ever  given  to  any  college  on  this  subject . 
I occupied  an  hour  and  ten  minutes,  and  found  a most  attentive  and 
sympathetic  audience. 

At  the  other  institutions,  also,  my  receptions  were  all  that  I could 
ask  ; and,  from  subsequent  correspondence,  I have  reason  to  believe 
that  much  good  was  accomplished,  and  m}T  time  and  money  well  spent. 

FOUR  EXPERIENCES. 

Some  of  my  experiences  on  these  lecturing-trips  were  peculiar.  I 
remember  one  country  bed,  which,  very  likely,  had  not  been  slept  in 
for  months,  and  the  water  in  my  bowl  and  pitcher  frozen  in  the 
morning.  I got  home  with  a severe  cold,  and  narrowly  escaped 
more  serious  consequences.  Warned  by  such  experience,  I stipu- 
lated that  I could  only  go  to  New  Bedford  on  condition  of  being  kept 
warm.  Here  I was  entertained  in  a palace  ; the  latest  improvements 
in  steam-heat,  also  wood-fires  in  open  fireplaces,  and  the  lady  occa- 
sionally asking,  “Mr.  Angell,  are  you  warm  enough?” 


CRIME. 


45 


I climbed  over  a New-Hampshire  mountain  on  one  of  the  most  ter- 
ribly hot  days  of  summer,  to  find,  that,  through  some  mistake,  it  had 
been  announced  that  the  “Rev.  Mr.  Angell,”  of  Boston,  was  to 
preach  that  evening.  I did  preach. 

At  Brattleborough,  Vt.,  I engaged  the  town-hall,  agreeing  to  pay 
all  expenses  and  for  its  use,  and  had  notice  given  in  the  schools. 
The  night  of  my  lecture  happened  to  be  one  of  the  hottest  of  the 
season.  I went  to  the  hall  a quarter  of  an  hour  in  advance,  and 
found  it  not  lighted,  only  the  janitor  and  half  a dozen  rough  boys. 
“Why  don’t  you  light  the  hall?”  said  I.  “Well,  I thought  I’d 
wait,  and  see  if  anybody  was  coming,”  said  he.  “Coming!  ” said 
I;  “why,  here’s  half  a dozen  boys  already.”  — “You  ain’t  going 
to  lectur  to  these  boys,  are  you?”  said  he.  “Certainly  I am,” 
said  I,  “ if  nobody  else  comes.  One  of  them  may  be  governor 
of  Vermont , one  of  these  days , for  aught  I know.”  So  he  lit  the 
hall,  and  gradually  some  hundreds  gathered ; and  now  they  have 
a society  in  Brattleborough,  Vt.,  for  the  prevention  of  cruelty  to 
animals. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  audiences  of  the  year,  and  one  of  the 
most  attentive,  was  the  hundreds  of  rough  boys  and  young  men  in 
the  State  Reform  School.  So  far  as  appearances  went,  they  were  all 
in  favor  of  kindness  to  animals. 

During  this  year,  in  addition  to  other  matters  for  the  press,  I 
furnished  for  some  time  a weekly  animal-protection  column  for  the 
“ Boston  Daily  Evening  Transcript.”  I also  wrote  for  the  ‘ ‘ New- 
England  Journal  of  Education”  a long  article  entitled  “The  New 
Gospel  of  Humanity  : the  Teacher’s  Opportunity,”  intended  to  show 
the  effect  of  teaching  kindness  to  animals,  on  the  prevention  of  crime. 
This  had  a wide  circulation  among  American  teachers. 

CRIME. 

At  this  time,  in  my  readings  as  director  of  the  “ American  Social 
Science  Association  ” and  otherwise,  my  attention  was  strongly  drawn 
to  the  statistics  of  the  increase  of  crime  in  this  country ; and,  the 
more  I investigated,  the  worse  it  seemed.  I prepared  and  gave  an 
address  upon  this  subject  before  the  annual  meeting  of  “ Massachu- 
setts State  Teachers'  Association  ” in  Boston,  on  Dec.  28,  which  was 
widely  reported  by  the  Boston  press ; and  on  the  next  da}r  appeared, 
in  all  our  daily  papers,  a letter  signed  by  me,  proposing  a society, 
first,  “ to  carefidly  investigate  our  causes  of  crime;  and,  second,  to  put 
in  operation  the  most  judicious  measures  of  prevention.”  To  such  a 


46 


AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


society  I offered  to  contribute  both  time  and  money.  The  press; 
recommended  it,  but  the  public  did  not  respond. 


1876. 

During  Sthis  year  I addressed,  in  behalf  of  animals,  some  very 
large  and  important  audiences,  among  them  the  students  of  “ Boston 
University  ; " various  schools,  — high,  grammar,  atid  Sunday  ; a large 
audience  at  Saratoga  Springs  ; “ the  National  Conference  of  Unitarian 
Churches  " at  Saratoga  Springs ; a great  “ Methodist- Episcopal  Con- 
ference " at  Chicago , III. ; “ the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  " 
at  Detroit , Mich.;  also,  in  the  same  city,  the  Unitarian  Church;  the 
high  school  of  some  seven  hundred  pupils ; and,  last,  about  two 
thousand  people  on  Sunday  night,  in  the  Detroit  Opera  House , result- 
ing in  the  formation  or  re-formation  of  a society  for  the  prevention, 
of  cruelty  to  animals  in  that  city. 

LECTURE  ON  CRIME. 

But  the  larger  portion  of  my  time  this  year  was  given  in  endeavors- 
to  call  public  attention  to  the  great  increase  of  crime,  including  crimes 
against  animals,  and  in  advocating  various  remedies  ; among  them, 
as  most  important,  a wider  humane , moral , and  unsectarian  religious 
education  in  our  public  schools.  After  very  careful  and  wide  inves- 
tigation, I gathered  and  compiled  statistics,  and  wove  them  into  a 
lecture,  which  I gave  before  the  Episcopal  clergy  of  Boston  and 
vicinity ; also  before  the  Congregational , Baptist , and  twice  before 
the  Methodist-Episcopal , clergy  of  Boston  and  vicinity ; the  Young- 
Men's  Christian  Union;  and  various  other  important  Massachusetts 
audiences.  Outside  the  State,  I gave  it  before  the  annual  meeting  of 
“ the  American  Social  Science  Association  " at  Saratoga  Springs  ; the 
Evangelical  clergy  of  Detroit;  the  “ Women's  Christian  Association" 
of  Detroit;  the  “ Methodist-Episcopal  clergy"  of  Chicago;  and,  sub- 
sequently, before  the  great  Methodist- Episcopal  Conference  at  Chi- 
cago, which,  putting  aside  other  exercises,  invited  me  to  occupy  the 
entire  evening,  and,  at  the  close,  manifested  its  interest  by  a unani- 
mous rising  vote  of  thanks. 


A NEW  ORDER  OF  CHIVALRY. 

I proposed  this  year,  through  the  various  Boston  dailies,  a neio 
order  of  chivalry  in  the  schools,  somewhat  similar  to  the  Bands  of 
Mercy  which  have  since  been  formed ; also  two  societies,  — one  ta 


HAYES  ELECTION . — UNITARIAN  CONFERENCE.  47 


protect  human  beings  from  cruelty,  and  another  to  promote  higher 
moral  and  humane  education  of  the  young.  All  these  I offered  to 
aid  with  time  and  money. 

THE  HAYES  ELECTION. 

On  Nov.  13  I addressed  the  Episcopal  clergy  of  Boston  and  vicin- 
ity, the  bishop  in  the  chair,  on  the  importance  of  the  clergy  taking 
action  in  view  of  the  great  danger  threatened  by  the  contested  elec- 
tion of  President  Hayes.  A few  days  after,  I wrote  a letter,  which 
appeared  in  the  various  Boston  dailies,  in  which  I proposed  union 
meetings  of  the  clergy  in  all  oiir  principal  cities  North  and  South , by 
tvhicJi  the  whole  power  of  the  Christian  Church,  through  pulpits, 
press,  meetings  for  prayer,  and  petitions  to  Congress,  should  be 
brought  to  bear,  if  necessary,  to  prevent  civil  war. 

NATIONAL  UNITARIAN  CONFERENCE. 

Some  of  my  experiences  during  this  year  were  of  special  interest. 
I had  applied  in  1874  for  a hearing  before  the  '•'Biennial  National 
Unitarian  Conference”  to  be  held  at  Saratoga  Springs,  to  bring  the 
claims  of  animals  before  that  wealthy  and  influential  denomination  ; 
but  I applied  too  late,  the  time  being  crowded  with  engagements 
already  made.  I kept  the  matter  in  mind,  however ; and,  when  the 
next  conference  met  this  year,  I contrived  to  appear  on  the  floor  as 
delegate  from  a small  Unitarian  church,  near  Boston,  to  which  I had 
occasionally  given  money.  But  here  again  I found  the  conference 
crowded  with  Unitarian  clergymen  from  different  parts  of  the  country. 

I was  determined  to  be  heard,  and  so  selected  the  principal  point 
of  the  most  interesting  day,  when  the  conference  was  fullest,  and, 
between  the  essays  of  Dr.  Ellis  and  James  Freeman  Clarke,  broke  in 
upon  the  programme  by  offering  a resolution  that  “ kindness  to  ani- 
mals should  be  taught  in  Unitarian  Sunday  schools.”  It  was  referred 
to  a committee.  Next  day  they  reported  that  from  lack  of  time  my 
subject  could  not  be  considered.  Before  I could  rise  to  speak,  Dr. 
Bellows  of  New  York,  leading  clergyman  of  the  denomination,  took 
the  floor,  and  in  words  I shall  never  forget  said,  “ I don't  think  that 
our  denomination  can  quite  afford  to  give  the  cold  shoulder  to  this  great 
moral  movement  of  the  day.  I move  that  the  gentleman  have  the  privi- 
lege of  addressing  this  conference.”  That  settled  the  question:  I 
addressed  the  conference.  Some  thousands  of  copies  of  our  humane 
publications  were  distributed,  to  be  carried  over  the  country.  I re- 
ceived the  thanks  of  many  clergymen,  and  was  invited  to  present  my 
cause  in  various  leading  Unitarian  pulpits. 


48 


AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


EXPERIENCES  AT  DETROIT. 

At  Detroit,  Mich.,  I called  upon  the  leading  Congregational  clerg}*- 
man  of  the  city,  — his  church  probably  the  largest  and  most  influ- 
ential. I proposed  to  lecture  in  his  church  Sunday  evening.  He 
gave  the  matter  careful  consideration,  but  finally  said  that  he  didn’t 
believe  the  people  of  that  city  were  quite  up  to  hearing  about  animals 
on  the  Lord’s  Day.  So  I accepted  an  invitation  to  address  the  Trin- 
itarian clergy  of  the  city  on  crime,  Monday  morning ; and  went  to 
the  Unitarian  church  to  talk  in  the  Lord’s  house,  on  the  Lord’s  Day, 
about  the  Lord’s  dumb  creatures.  It  resulted  probably  quite  as  well ; 
as  in  the  Unitarian  Church  were  the  governor  of  the  State,  the  lead- 
ing editor  of  its  leading  paper,  and  various  other  influential  gentle- 
men, upon  whose  invitation  I repeated  my  address  the  following 
Sunday  night  in  the  Opera  House  to  about  two  thousand  people  ; and 
the  Congregational  clergyman  then  gave  me  a most  pressing  invita- 
tion to  speak  in  his  church  also. 

I visited  the  stock-yards  at  Detroit,  incog. ; talked  with  the  em- 
ployees ; ascertained  how  dead  and  dying  animals,  which  could  be 
carried  no  farther,  were  taken  off  the  cars  there,  and  put  into  the 
markets  ; and  told  my  audience  at  the  Opera  House  much  more  about 
their  meats  than  they  had  previously  known. 

AT  CHICAGO. 

At  Chicago  I had  no  difficulty  in  addressing  first  the  Methodist- 
Episcopal  clerg}'  of  the  city,  and  subsequently  the  great  Methodist 
Conference,  on  crime;  but  when  I came  to  animals , that  was  a more 
doubtful  subject,  and  I waited  several  days  before  I got  the  desired 
hearing,  and  told  them  of  the  cruelties  that  were  being  practised  daily 
.at  the  stock-yards,  within  sight  of  the  church-spires  and  souud  of  the 
sabbath-bells  of  that  city. 

THE  SMALLEST  AUDIENCE. 

The  smallest  audience  I addressed  this  year  turned  out  to  be  prob- 
ably the  largest.  It  was  at  .the  Chicago  Athenmum,  on  invitation 
of  Mr.  Ferd.  W.  Peck,  a very  prominent  citizen,  and  vice-president  of 
the  society  ; only  some  forty  persons  present,  and  I think  I was  hardly 
ever  more  disappointed.  But  when  I closed  my  lecture,  and  came 
down  from  the  platform,  I was  introduced  to  a quiet-looking  gentle- 
man sitting  there,  who  joined  the  Humane  Society  that  night,  and 
whose  eloquent  voice  and  pen  have  since  spoken  to  hundreds  of  thou- 
sands in  behalf  of  those  that  cannot  speak  for  themselves.  It  ivas 
Prof.  Siving  of  Chicago. 


49 


A FUNNY  INCIDENT. 

1877. 

During  this  year  I gave  various  lectures  and  addresses  to  Massa- 
chusetts audiences,  but  none  outside  the  State. 

A FUNNY  INCIDENT. 

In  February  the  Boston  and  Maine  Railroad  Company  proposed  to 
xeduce  the  pay  of  their  engineers,  which  was  already  quite  low  enough. 
It  resulted  in  a strike : this  resulted  in  a proposition  to  enact  by  the 
Legislature,  then  in  session,  a law  against  the  locomotive  engineers, 
of  most  unwarranted  severity.  A committee  of  the  engineers  came 
to  me,  asking  help.  I sent  them  to  Wendell  Phillips,  but  then  began 
to  think  what  I could  do  to  help  them  at  the  hearing  before  the  joint 
railroad  committee  of  Senate  and  House  next  morning.  I knew  it 
was  the  custom  of  railroads  to  furnish  free  tickets  and  passes  to  all 
members  of  the  Legislature.  There  was  no  question  but  the  pock- 
ets of  all  these  gentlemen  on  the  railroad  committee  were  well  filled, 
— in  other  words , they  were  in  the  pay  of  the  railroads , and  yet  ivere 
io  decide  between  the  railroads  and  their  engineers.  I thought  I saw 
a good  point : so  in  the  morning  I went  to  the  committee-room,  which 
was  packed  with  perhaps  from  one  to  two  hundred  railroad  officers 
and  engineers.  I told  the  chairman  of  the  railroad  commissioners, 
who  was  to  present  the  obnoxious  bill,  that  I had  a very  short  Act, 
which  would  not  occupy  over  five  minutes,  which  I would  like  to  sub- 
mit to  the  committee  before  the  longer  one  prepared  b}7  him,  and 
that  I should  be  greatly  obliged  if  he  would  waive  his  right  to  prior- 
ity, and  permit  me  to  present  m37  short  bill,  and  then  retire.  To  this 
he  cheerfully  assented,  and,  when  called  upon  by  the  chairman  of  the 
committee,  stated  that  he  had  arranged  with  me  to  present  my  bill 
first. 

I rose,  and  read  my  bill,  which  was  as  follows  : — 

1.  Be  it  enacted,  that  any  locomotive  engineer  who  shall  voluntarily,  without 
just  cause,  abandon  his  engine  on  any  railroad  of  this  Commonwealth  except  at 
the  end  of  his  route,  shall  be  punished  by  fine  not  exceeding  one  thousand  dol- 
lars, or  imprisonment  not  exceeding  one  year. 

I looked  at  the  committee  as  the}7  sat  around  the  long  table. 
There  was  no  objection  to  that. 

2.  That  any  railroad  corporation  which  shall  hereafter  directly,  or  indirectly, 
give  to  any  person  elected  a member  of  the  Legislature  of  Massachusetts  a free 
ticket  to  pass  over  any  railroad  in  this  Commonwealth,  or  shall  knowingly  trans- 


50 


AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


port  any  such  member  without  pay,  or  attempt  in  any  manner  to  bribe  any 
member  of  the  Massachusetts  Legislature,  shall  be  fined  not  more  than  one 
thousand  dollars,  and  not  less  than  Jive  hundred  dollars , for  every  such  offence. 

3.  That  any  member  of  the  Massachusetts  Legislature  who  shall  during  his 
term  of  office  receive  or  use  any  free  ticket  or  other  gift  from  any  railroad  cor- 
poration doing  business  in  this  State,  shall  be  thereby  rendered  incompetent  to 
vote  upon  any  matter  relating  to  the  railroads  of  this  Commonwealth. 

I looked  at  the  committee  again,  and  they  looked  at  each  other. 
I said,  “Mr.  Chairman,  I do  not  propose  to  argue  this  matter.  I 
simply  leave  this  bill  in  your  hands.”  I walked  to  the  head  of  the 
table,  handed  him  the  bill,  and  immediately  left  the  room.  The 
newspapers  got  hold  of  it,  and  the  severe  legislation  proposed  did 
not  pass. 

COLONIZATION. 

I felt  much  sympathy  with  these  engineers,  thrown  out  of  employ- 
ment for  objecting  to  the  cutting-down  of  their  pay  ; jqid  wrote  the 
president  of  the  Association  of  Locomotive  Engineers,  suggesting  that, 
in  some  most  desirable  spot  where  land  was  cheap,  the  association 
should  purchase  a large  tract  at  low  price,  and  settle  upon  it  all 
deserving  engineers  who  from  any  cause  should  wish  to  retire,  or  bo 
thrown  out  of  employment.  Excellent  lands  could  be  bought  for  two 
or  three  dollars  an  acre,  which  with  the  settlement  of  a respectable- 
colony  would  soon  be  worth  twenty,  thirty,  or  forty  dollars  per  acre- 

CRIMES  AGAINST  PUBLIC  HEALTH. 

During  some  time  past,  my  attention  had  been  called  to  the  large 
increase  of  crimes  against  public  health  in  poisonous  and  dangerously 
adulterated  articles  of  food,  drink,  groceries,  drugs,  medicines,  poi- 
sonous articles  of  ornament  and  of  clothing,  arsenical  papers  and 
wall-papers,  all  of  which  seemed  to  be  sold  in  Massachusetts  without 
liinderance. 

MARBLEIZED  IRON-AVARE. 

In  my  investigations,  I had  frequent  occasion  to  call  upon  chem- 
ists. The  last  of  March,  I was  in  the  office  of  Dr.  Hayes,  State 
analyst,  when  he  showed  me  specimens  of  a beautifully  mottled  new 
cooking-ware,  called  “marbleized  iron-ware,”  which,  in  the  shape  of 
coffeepots,  teapots,  frying-pans,  and  a great  variety  of  dishes,  was 
being  largely  introduced  into  the  markets.  He  pronounced  it  ex- 
tremely poisonous,  containing,  with  other  poison,  a large  amount  of 
soluble  lead.  It  was  manufactured  by  a wealthy  firm  in  New- York 
City,  whom  no  one  had  thus  far  cared  to  attack.  I immediately 


MARBLEIZED  IRON-WARE. 


51 


began  to  investigate,  and  found  that  the  firm  had  a large  factory  for 
its  manufacture.  If  I remember  rightly,  they  had  some  hundreds  of 
men  employed ; and,  in  a few  months,  something  like  a hundred 
thousand  dollars’  worth  of  it  had  been  put  on  the  markets.  I found 
it  was  being  usecT,  not  only  in  hotels  and  restaurants,  but  in  hospitals 
to  feed  the  sick ; that  the  sick  wife  of  a friend  of  mine  was  having 
her  breakfast  prepared  every  morning  in  one  of  these  dishes,  and 
that  I had  narrowly  escaped  having  my  own  buckwheat-cakes  cooked 
in  a similar  utensil.  It  was  clearly  my  duty  to  attack  it.  So,  in  the 
“ Sunday  Herald' 9 of  April  1,  having  nearly  one  hundred  thousand 
circulation,  under  the  head  of  “ Public  Caution ,”  I began  the  attack. 
In  all  our  daily  papers,  on  Monday,  April  2,  and  succeeding  days,  I 
followed  it  up.  Cuttings  from  these  papers  I sent  to  leading  papers, 
all  over  the  country,  and  to  England.  The  effect  was  wonderful. 
The  sale  of  the  ware  -was  as  dead  as  Julius  Csesar ; and  people  all 
over  the  country  were  bringing  their  old  teapots  and  coffee-pots  to  the 
sellers,  planting  them  on  their  counters,  and  demanding  back  their 
money. 

The  manufacturers  hastened,  in  New -York  papers,  to  pronounce 
my  statements  false.  I was  to  be  sued  for  perhaps  a hundred 
thousand  dollars  damages.  The  leading  partner  came  to  Boston  ; 
and  a prominent  chemist,  employed  by  him,  declared  the  article  harm- 
less. But,  a few  days  after,  the  Harvard  University  chemist  came  to- 
my  defence,  with  his  certificate,  “ alive  with  poison .”  This  settled 
the  business.  The  firm  discharged  their  hands,  closed  their  factory, 
offered  to  take  back  all  they  had  sold ; and  afterwards,  as  I was 
informed,  manufactured  only  articles  concerning  which  there  could 
be  no  dispute.  I do  not  believe  the  manufacturers  supposed  they 
were  selling  a poisonous  article.  A beautifully  mottled,  harmless 
ware,  called  “ Granite  Iron-ware ,”  manufactured  at  St.  Louis,  had 
obtained  an  immense  sale.  The  New-York  firm  wanted  to  share  the 
profits  : so  they  employed  a chemist,  as  I was  informed,  to  get  up 
something  which  would  look  exactly  like  it ; and  this  was  the  result. 
One  unfortunate  consequence  of  this  exposure  was,  that  the  sale  of 
the  harmless  iron-ware  suffered  for  a time,  because  it  looked  so 
much  like  the  poisonous  imitation.  But,  nevertheless,  the  “iron- 
ware” company  subsequently  expressed  their  gratitude  by  the  gift 
of  various  specimens  of  their  manufacture ; among  which  the  most 
valuable,  a beautiful  water-cooler  and  stand,  I presented  to  one  of 
our  hospitals. 


52 


AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


POISONOUS  WALL-PAPERS. 

Having  succeeded  sto  well  in  this  matter,  on  April  25  I attacked, 
through  the  columns  of  the  44  Daily  Advertiser,”  44  Herald,”  44  Post,” 
44  Globe,”  44  Transcript,”  and  44  Traveller,”  poisonous  wall-papers, 
of  which  I had  overwhelming  evidence  that  about  thirty-three  per 
cent  of  a great  variety  of  colors  were  poisonous  ; and  urged  that 
there  should  be  44  a public  health  association ,”  to  look  after  such 
matters,  which  I wrould  be  glad  to  join. 

HYDROPHOBIA. 

In  the  month  of  May  a series  of  letters  appeared  in  various  Boston 
papers,  calculated  to  alarm  our  citizens  in  regard  to  the  dangers  of 
hydrophobia.  On  the  19th  I was  warned  that  there  was  danger 
of  severe  restrictions,  by  the  city  government,  against  dogs,  and, 
hurrying  to  the  City  Hall,  found  a committee  then  in  session  on  that 
subject.  It  was  proposed  that  every  male  dog  found  on  the  street, 
unmuzzled,  should  be  immediately  shot  by  the  police  ; and  every 
female  dog  found  on  the  street  should  be  shot  anyhow,  whether 
muzzled  or  not.  The  influential  gentleman  who  was  urging  these 
orders,  and  who,  as  I was  informed,  had  instigated  the  various  letters 
before  referred  to,  it  seemed,  was  in  mortal  terror  of  dogs.  He  tes- 
tified, at  the  subsequent  hearing,  that  44  three  times  dogs  had  jumped 
over  his  garden-wall , and  chased  him  into  his  own  house.” 

A leading  Boston  paper,  commenting  next  morning  on  his  evidence, 
remarked,  44  We  always  hnew  the  dog  was  a very  sagacious  animal!  ” 
Of  course  I filed  a remonstrance,  and  demanded  a public  hearing, 
which  was  granted  for  Thursday,  May  24.  I wrent  to  the  City  Regis- 
trar’s office,  and  ascertained  that  since  the  keeping  of  a registry  of 
deaths  in  Boston  began,  twenty-four  years  previous,  only  two  deaths 
had  been  reported  by  hydrophobia ; and  learned,  b}T  subsequent  in- 
quiiy,  that  it  was  doubtful  whether  these  were  genuine  cases.  I then, 
through  the  columns  of  all  our  daily  papers,  set  forth  various  facts  in 
regard  to  this  disease,  and  called  upon  lovers  of  dogs  to  be  present 
at  the  hearing.  The  result  was,  that,  when  the  hearing  came  off,  the 
room  was  packed ; the  pleas  wdiich  I,  with  others,  made  in  behalf  of 
our  four-footed  friends,  found  a responsive  audience,  and  the  proposed 
orders  did  not  pass.  The  hydrophobia  scare  had,  howrever,  affected 
other  cities,  particularly  Lawrence ; and  I prepared  a very  long  and 
carefully  written  paper,  covering  the  whole  subject,  and  the  best 
evidence  obtainable,  which  wras  widely  published,  and  aided  in  allay- 
ing excitement. 


LEGIONS  OF  HONOR. — THE  LABOR  QUESTION.  53 


LEGIONS  OF  HONOR. 

During  this  year  I devoted  much  time  to  urging,  through  the  press 
and  elsewhere,  the  formation  of  Legions  of  Honor  in  our  public 
schools,  the  pledges  of  which  should  be, — 

1st , To  speak  no  falsehood  ; 

2d,  To  use  no  profane  language  ; 

3d,  To  show  respect  to  the  aged  ; 

4tli , To  protect  from  cruelty  all,  both  human  and  dumb ; and 

5th,  To  endeavor  at  all  times  to  maintain  the  right. 

Our  leading  educational  and  other  papers  advocated  this,  and  our 
Massachusetts  Society  for  the  Prevention  of  Cruelty  to  Animals 
offered  prizes  to  those  who  should  be  most  successful  in  organizing. 
I offered  to  address  conventions  of  teachers,  also  schools,  in  aid  of 
this  object,  and  did  address,  the  annual  meeting  of  44  The  Massachu- 
setts State  Teachers'  Association  ” at  Boston  ; and  three  of  our  lead- 
ing educators  consented  to  act  as  judges  of  the  prizes.  Some 
legions  were  formed,  but  the  time  had  not  come. 


THE  LABOR  QUESTION. 

During  this  year  the  country  wTas  financially  in  bad  condition  ; 
times  were  hard ; there  wTas  much  suffering  among  the  unemployed 
poor  ; an  army  of  tramps  ; and  serious  difficulties  threatened  between 
capital  and  labor.  For  the  purpose  of  throwing  light  upon  these 
difficult  problems,  a wealthy  and  philanthropic  lady  of  New-York 
City  offered  prizes  for  the  best  essays  on  the  labor  question.  I had 
given  much  time  to  investigating  this  subject,  and  wrote,  "with  great 
care,  an  essay:  but  before  the  time  of  examination  for  the  prizes, — 
the  last  of  July,  — came  the  great  labor 'and  railroad  strikes  and  riots 
in  Maryland,  Pennsylvania,  New  York,  Ohio,  and  elsewiiere  ; and  I 
decided  it  was  my  duty  to  publish  my  essay  at  once,  without  regard 
to  prizes,  which  I did,  through  the  columns  of  the  44  Boston  Daily 
Advertiser ,”  on  Aug.  4 ; and  followed  it  up  with  supplementary  com- 
munications, through  the  same  paper,  on  Aug.  14  and  18.  It  was 
widely  republished  and  favorably  commented  upon  by  the  press  in 
various  parts  of  the  country.  The  44  Louisville  Courier -Journal," 
in  particular,  I remember,  strongly  approved. 


54 


A UTOMOGRA P1I1CAL  SKETCHES . 


1878. 

A BUSY  YEAR. 

This  was  a busy  year.  In  the  first  part  of  it  I gave  various 
lectures  on  the  growth  of  crime  and  the  protection  of  animals,  sug- 
gesting in  the  former,  among  other  things,  that  charitably  disposed 
persons  should  adopt  a test  in  dealing  with  the  numerous  tramps  then 
wandering  over  the  country,  which  I had  tried  with  success  ; namely, 
offer  them  Graham  crackers.  In  my  experience,  in  nearly  every 
instance  the  tramp  declined. 

In  February  I visited  Washington,  and  passed  a week  urging  upon 
Congress  more  stringent  laws  for  the  protection  of  animals  in  trans- 
portation. I had,  with  others,  a hearing  before  the  Committee  on 
Agriculture,  and  saw  many  members  privately. 

During  this  month,  there  came  another  severe  attack  upon  dogs  at 
the  State  House,  in  the  shape  of  a proposed  law  that  all  male  dogs 
should  be  annually  taxed  ten  dollars,  and  all  female  dogs  twenty 
dollars.  It  was  a continuation  of  the  hydrophobia  scare  of  the  pre- 
vious summer,  taken  advantage  of  by  dog-haters,  and  particularly 
by  agriculturists,  who  considered  the  destruction  of  dogs  essential 
to  the  protection  of  sheep.  It  was  intended  to  have  a hearing  before 
the  Committee  on  Agriculture,  without  notice  to  dog-owners ; but 
something  told  me,  and  I appeared  at  the  hearing,  and  demanded  an 
adjournment  and  another  hearing,  with  full  notice  to  all  concerned. 
The  committee  could  not  refuse,  and  appointed  it  five  days  later.  I 
immediately,  through  the  various  daily  papers,  called  upon  friends  of 
dogs  to  appear  at  the  hearing ; and  the  result  was,  that  about  two 
hundred  and  fifty  people  packed  the  committee-room  almost  as  closely 
as  a sardine-box.  With  others,  I argued  the  case  for  the  dogs.  Able 
legal  counsel  were  employed  on  the  other  side,  but  the  hostile  legis- 
lation did  not  pass.  Just  before  going  to  the  hearing,  I had  put  into 
my  hand  a Gloucester  paper,  with  an  account  of  three  little  children 
going  home  from  school  in  a great  snow-storm,  and  buried  in  a drift, 
whose  lives  had  just  been  saved  by  a dog.  A Gloucester  man 
appeared  to  denounce  dogs,  and  I answered  him  by  reading  this 
incident  just  occurred  in  his  own  city.  I think  there  was  no  hearing 
at  the  State  House  this  winter  that  excited  more  public  attention,  or 
was  more  widely  reported  and  commented  upon  b}r  the  press. 

BLEEDING  CALVES. LIVE-STOCK  RING. 

In  March  I attacked,  through  our  various  Boston  dailies,  the  prac- 
tice of  bleeding  calves  before  they  were  killed,  for  the  purpose  of 


WARNING  TEN  GRANGES. — GOVERNOR  OF  VERMONT.  55 


making  the  veal  unnaturally  white  ; also  “ the  live-stock  ring,”  which 
was  opposing,  in  Congress  and  elsewhere,  improved  cars  and  other 
humane  provisions  for  the  protection  of  animals  in  transportation. 

WARNING  THE  GRANGES. 

In  May  I made,  through  the  columns  of  the  “ Boston  Daily  Adver- 
tiser,” another  attack  on  poisonous  wall-papers.  In  June  I prepared, 
with  great  care,  for  Benjamin  P.  Ware,  master  of  the  State  Grange 
of  Massachusetts,  a caution  against  a great  variety  of  poisonous  and 
poisonously  adulterated  articles,  which,  signed  by  him,  I had  printed 
mid  sent  to  thousands  of  granges  through  the  country,  representing, 
perhaps,  a million  of  farmers.  I had  it  sent  also,  the  first  week  in 
■Jul}’,  to  about  forty  Boston  papers,  and  to  papers  of  the  thirteen  lead- 
ing cities  of  the  United  States,  which  gave  it  au  immense  publication 
and  many  editorials. 

OLD  PRISON  AT  CHARLESTOWN. 

Early  in  August  I urged,  through  the  columns  of  the  “Boston 
Daily  Advertiser,”  and  wrote  the  governor  of  Massachusetts,  that 
the  old  prison  at  Charlestown,  Mass.,  should  not  be  sold,  as  was  then 
proposed,  but  retained  for  the  more  dangerous  criminals,  while  the 
less  dangerous  should  be  kept  at  Concord.  This  plan  has  since  been 
adopted. 

COMMUNISM. 

About  the  same  time,  I wrote  the  “ Boston  Herald  ” on  com- 
munism, which  was  then,  through  Kearney  and  others,  threatening 
public  peace.  This  article  I signed  “A  Workingman.”  During 
this  month  and  September  I twice  visited  New  Hampshire,  and  lec- 
tured on  the  protection  of  animals  before  various  union  meetings  of 
churches  on  Lord’s  Days;  also  before  “the  State  Grange  of  New 
Hampshire”  at  Weirs,  and  “the  Sullivan  County  Agricultural  and 
Mechanics’  Fair”  at  Claremont. 

MARETT  TRACT. 

In  October  I printed  and  circulated  at  my  own  expense,  under  the 
name  of  “ Marett  Tract,”  fifteen  thousand  copies  of  the  eight-page 
tract  entitled  “ Five  Questions  Answered,”  and  subsequently  sixty- 
two  thousand  more  copies  of  the  same  tract. 

THE  GOVERNOR  OF  VERMONT. 

Oct.  29  I addressed  the  Legislature  of  Vermont  at  the  State  House, 
Montpelier,  and  on  Oct.  30  the  New- Hampshire  Unitarian  Confer- 
ence, on  the  claims  of  animals. 


56 


A U TOD  IOGllA  P 11 1C  A L SKETCHES. 


As  illustrating  the  changes  in  this  country : Just  before  addressing- 
the  Vermont  Legislature,  the  governor  took  me  by  the  hand,  and  said, 
“ Lkl  you  know,  that,  when  you  used  to  come  up  here  fishing,  I was 
the  boy  that  went  with  you  to  carry  the  fish  and  the  bait?  ” I said, 
“No.”  — “/  teas  the  boy,”  said  he.  Now  he  was  governor  of 
Vermont. 

SOUTHERN  TRIP. BALTIMORE. 

Nov.  11  I started  on  a Southern  tour,  to  speak  for  animals.  I 
took  part  in  the  meetings  of  “ The  American  Humane  Association  ” 
at  Baltimore.  At  the  close  of  the  meetings  I determined  to  remain 
a while  in  Baltimore,  and  endeavor  to  awaken  public  interest  in  that 
city,  where  the  claims  of  animals  had  thus  far  received  but  little 
attention.  For  this  purpose,  I obtained  the  consent  of  educational 
authorities,  and  addressed  the  students  of  “ Johns  Hopkins  Univer- 
sity ” about  six  hundred  students  of  “ Baltimore  College”  about  five 
hundred  at  the  “ Girls’  High  School  ,”  a large  number  at  the  “Mary- 
land State  Normal  School”  about  two  hundred  at  “ the  Friends * 
School  ,”  and  a meeting  of  Friends  in  private  parlors,  and  organized 
“ The  Baltimore  Humane  Education  Society ; ” also  about  nine  hun- 
dred convicts  in  the  State  Penitentiary,  — the  first  instance,  so  far  as 
I know,  in  which  convicts  in  a State  prison  were  ever  addressed  on 
this  subject. 

HOW  DWIGHT  L.  MOODY  HELPED  THE  ANIMALS. 

The  last  day  of  my  stop  in  Baltimore  was  a notable  one.  The 
great  Maryland  Sunday-school  Convention  was  in  session  in  one  of 
the  largest  churches,  and  every  moment  occupied.  I had  applied  in 
vain  for  permission  to  speak  in  behalf  of  animals.  D.  L.  Moody 
the  evangelist,  then  in  Baltimore,  was  to  take  charge  of  its  exercises 
on  the  great  day  of  the  convention.  I went  to  his  house,  and  asked 
him  to  speak  for  those  that  could  not  speak  for  themselves.  He 
said,  “ Come,  and  speak  yourself.”  I said,  “ They  will  not  let  me.” 
He  said,  “Come  to  the  church  to-morrow  morning.”  I was  there 
promptly  with  two  thousand  copies  of  “ Marett  Tract.”  The  great 
church  was  packed,  every  seat  full,  the  aisles  full ; from  one  to  two 
hundred  clergymen,  perhaps,  on  the  platform  ; each  county  with  its 
banner.  No  admission  except  by  ticket.  In  a few  moments  Mr. 
Moody  came.  “Follow  me,”  said  he.  He  took  me  through  the 
crowd  to  the  platform.  “ Put  your  tracts  here,  and  follow  me,”  he 
said ; and  in  one  minute  I found  myself  on  the  front  of  the  platform, 
in  the  chair  which  had  apparently  been  reserved  for  him.  He  called 


RICHMOND.  — N A TION A L GRA  NGE. 


57 


for  another  chair;  gave  out  one  of  his  beautiful  melodies;  then  sent 
the  contribution-boxes  around,  ordered  them  up  on  to  the  platform 
so  that  all  the  ministers  might  have  a chance  to  give,  then  sent  them 
down  to  the  vestry,  saying,  “ I don’t  want  any  money  rattling  around 
here  ; ” then  another  melody  ; then  spoke  some  twenty  minutes,  bring- 
ing tears  to  the  eyes  of  many ; then  broke  off  suddenly,  and,  while 
every  eye 'was  upon  him,  said,  “ My  friend  Mr.  Angel! , of  Boston , is 
now  going  to  talk  to  you  about  kindness  to  animals , a most  important 
subject  for  Sunday-schools.  — Step  forward,  Mr.  Angell,  and  speak.’’ 
I do  not  think  there  was  ever  a more  astonished  audience.  I am 
sure,  that,  during  the  fifteen  minutes  I addressed  them,  I never  had 
a more  attentive  one.  At  the  close,  he  at  once  took  charge  of  the 
distribution  of  the  tracts,  and  added  words  of  kindness  which  I shall 
never  forget.  And  that  is  howr  D.  L.  Moody  helped  the  animals. 


RICHMOND. 

From  Baltimore  I went  directly  to  Richmond  for  twro  purposes,  — 
first , to  attend  the  annual  meeting  of  the  American  Public-health 
Association,  of  which  I was  a member,  and,  if  possible,  get  action  on 
the  subject  of  poisonous  and  dangerous  adulterations  ; and,  second , 
to  push  the  claims  of  animals.  In  the  first  object  I failed,  as  the 
country  had  been  very  much  alarmed  over  the  spread  of  yellowT-fever  ; 
and  nearly  the  whole  time  of  the  convention  was  devoted  to  that  sub- 
ject, lots  of  things  having  precedence  of  mine  being  shut  out.  But 
in  the  second  I succeeded. 


NATIONAL  GRANGE. 

The  National  Grange,  composed  of  State  masters  and  their  wives 
from  nearly  every  State,  and  representing , perhaps , a million  of  agri- 
culturists, w^as  in  session  in  the  Representatives  Hall  at  the  State 
House.  I had  an  entire  hour  given  me  to  address  them,  and  through 
them  was  able  to  send  humane  publications  to  almost  every  State  in 
the  Union.  The  Grange  passed,  at  my  request,  strong  resolutions, 
calling  upon  Congress  to  enact  laws  to  secure  the  merciful  transpor- 
tation of  animals  on  railroads  ; also,  “ that  it  should  be  made  the  duty 
of  teachers  in  our  public  schools  to  instruct  the  children  under  their 
care  to  protect  insect-eating  birds  and  their  nests , and  to  treat  animals 
kindly.  ’ ’ 

I also  addressed  the  high  school  of  the  city  and  the  largest  Sunday 
school,  and  then  started  for  Washington. 


58 


A UT0B10GRA  VIIIC A L SKETCHES. 


PRESIDENT  IIAYES. 

While  at  Richmond,  Mr.  Nathan  Appleton  of  Boston  wrote  me 
from  Washington,  that  he  had  seen  President  Hayes,  and  the  Presi- 
dent had  authorized  him  to  say,  that,  if  I would  write  what  I thought 
ought  to  go  into  his  annual  message  to  Congress  on  the  subject  of 
transportation  of  animals,  if  he  liked  it  he  would  put  it  in.  I wrote 
the  President  at  once,  and,  on  arrival  at  Washington,  called  upon 
him  to  learn  his  decision.  He  told  me  it  ivcis  already  in  the  message; 
and,  a few  days  after,  it  appeared  in  print,  almost  verbatim  as  1 had 
written. 

WASHINGTON. 

In  Washington  I gave  a.series  of  lectures  on  the  claims  of  animals, 
first  to  a very  large  audience  in  All  Souls'  Church , Sunday  evening  ; 
and,  subsequently,  before  the  students  of  Howard  University , Way- 
land  Seminary , the  White  Training  School  for  Teachers , and  the 
Miner  School , and  formed  the  Washington  Humane  Education  So- 
ciety. 

MONUMENT  TO  YELLOW-FEVER  HEROES. 

There  was  a good  deal  of  hard  feeling  at  Washington,  at  that  time, 
between  North  and  South  ; and  it  was  not  helped  by  the  monuments 
of  Northern  generals  erected  in  public  squares,  constantly  reminding 
our  Southern  fellow-citizens  of  the  result  of  the  war. 

The  summer  before,  yellow-fever  had  swept  the  South  ; and  North- 
ern men  and  women,  as  well  as  Southern,  had  gone  down  to  nurse 
the  sick  and  dying,  and  had  died  themselves  in  the  discharge  of 
duty. 

It  seemed  to  me  that  here  was  a chance  to  erect  a monument  at 
the  National  Capital  which  should  stand  forever  to  cement  our  com- 
mon country.  Somebody  must  start  it.  Why  not  I?  I called  upon 
a prominent  citizen  of  Washington,  who  at  once  became  interested, 
and  offered  to  push  the  work.  So,  just  before  leaving,  I put  twenty- 
five  dollars  into  his  hands,  with  this  letter : — 


Ebbitt  House,  Washington,  D.C.,  Dec.  3,  1878. 


, Esq. 

My  dear  Sir , — Though  not  a wealthy  man,  I have  a strong  desire  to  give 
twenty-five  dollars  towards  the  erection  of  a monument  at  Washington  to  the 
heroes,  living  and  dead,  who,  in  1878,  fought  yellow-fever  in  our  Southern 
cities  and  towns.  Will  you  kindly  permit  me  to  deposit  the  above  amount  in 
your  hands,  as  the  beginning  of  a national  fund  for  the  above  purpose,  and  much 
oblige  Your  obedient  servant, 

Geo.  T.  Angei.l. 


TIIE  WAR  ON  ADULTERATION. 


59 


I am  sorry  to  say  that  the  monument  was  never  erected,  and  so  the 
twenty-five  dollars  was  given  by  the  gentleman  in  question  to  another 
charity.  It  has  always  seemed  to  me,  that  monuments  which  commem- 
orate the  triumphs  in  battle  of  one  half  a nation  over  the  other,  or  of 
one  Christian  nation  over  another  Christian  nation,  had  better  be  lev- 
elled, and  other  monuments  erected  to  commemorate  the  days  on  which 
peace  ivas  declared. 

1879. 

SOME  OF  THE  HARDEST  WORK  OF  MY  LIFE. 

In  1879  I did  some  of  the  hardest  work  of  my  life.  I had  been 
gathering,  as  before  appears,  a vast  amount  of  evidence  of  poisonous 
and  dangerous  adulterations.  1 had  enough  to  fill  a large  volume ; 
and  I was  determined  to  put  the  most  important  before  the  public, 
through  the  press,  as  widely  as  possible.  I knew  that  I should  attack 
large  amounts  of  capital,  and  probably  incur  misrepresentation  and 
abuse.  Nevertheless,  1 thought  it  a duty. 

THE  WAR  ON  ADULTERATION. 

So  I prepared,  with  great  care,  a paper  entitled  “ Public  Health 
^ Associations ,”  in  which  I condensed  the  most  startling  facts  I had 
been  able  to  gather.  It  was  in  the  highest  degree  sensational.  I 
intended  it  should  be.  I wanted  to  briug  on  a war  of  discussion, 
which  should  wake  the  nation.  Yet  I was  careful  to  state  only  what 
I could  prove,  for  I had  little  doubt  I should  be  called  upon  to  do  it. 

I stated  that  more  than  three  hundred  ignorant  and  uneducated 
persons  were  practising  medicine  in  Boston  ; that  probably  half  the 
vinegar  sold  in  our  cities  was  rank  poison  ; that  peppers  and  mustard 
were  adulterated  with  lead ; that  a large  portion  of  our  pickles  were 
more  or  less  poisonous  ; also  many  of  our  flavoring-oils,  sirups,  jel- 
lies, and  preserved  fruits ; that  cocoa  and  chocolate  were  adulterated 
with  mineral  substances,  and  coffee-berries  had  been  moulded  out  of 
chiccory  and  other  substances ; that  several  mills  in  New  England 
were  grinding  white  stone  into  fine  powder  of  three  grades,  called 
soda,  sugar,  and  flour ; that  thousands  of  barrels  of  terra- alba  were 
sold  in  our  cities  every  year,  to  be  mixed  with  confectionery  and 
other  sugar  products,  also  with  baking-powders,  which  in  many  cases 
contained  also  alum  ; that  it  was  estimated  by  a medical  commission 
of  the  Board  of  Health  of  Boston,  that  over  a million  and  a half  gal- 
lons of  water,  liable  to  come  from  most  impure  and  dangerous  sources , 
were  sold  in  our  city  every  year,  mixed  with  milk,  for  which  nearly 


60 


A UTOli  10G HA  V111CAL  SKETCHES. 


Jive  hundred  thousand  dollars  in  money  ivas  annually  paid;  that  infant 
mortality  teas  about  four  times  as  great  in  Boston  as  in  the  country > 
and  that  I had  reason  to  believe  that  thousands  of  gallons  of  so-called 
milk,  sold  in  Boston,  did  not  contain  one  drop  of  the  genuine  article. 
I stated  the  enormous  amounts  of  oleomargarine  butter  and  cheese 
liable  to  come  from  the  filthiest  fats  of  diseased  animals,  and  never 
subjected  to  heat  sufficient  to  kill  living  organisms  they  might  contain. 
I showed  the  enormous  adulterations  of  wines,  liquors,  drugs,  and 
medicines,  so  that  physicians  could  not,  in  many  cases,  know  the 
strength  of  their  prescriptions.  I gave  evidence  of  poisonous  quali- 
ties of  tin  cans  and  other  tin- ware  ; also  of  vast  amounts  of  arsenic 
and  other  poisons  used  in  articles  of  clothing,  ornament,  and  use, 
particularly  in  colored  papers  and  wall-papers,  of  which  about  thirty- 
three  per  cent  of  a wide  variety  of  colors  had  been  found  poisonous  ; 
and  I devoted  considerable  space  to  showing  that  sugars,  sirups,  and 
molasses  were  dangerously  adulterated. 

The  remedy  was  public  health  associations , composed  of  influential 
citizens,  supported  by  voluntary  contributions,  and  employing  chem- 
ists, microscopists,  and  officers  that  could  not  be  bribed. 

I read  this  paper  on  Jan.  8,  1879,  before  the  annual  Boston  meet- 
ing of  the  American  Social  Science  Association , at  the  School  of 
Technology.  It  was  published  in  full  in  most  of  our  daily  papers, 
and  woven  into  editorials  in  the  rest.  I sent  printed  copies  of  it  very 
widely  over  the  country  to  newspapers  and  others,  and  then  waited 
the  storm. 

THE  CHEMISTS. 

I waited  nine  days,  when,  on  Jan.  17,  in  the  ‘‘Boston  Herald, 
came  a reply  from  a Boston  chemist,  who  was  also  milk-inspector  of 
a Massachusetts  city.  He  asserted  that  not  over  Jive  per  cent , and 
he  thought  not  over  three  per  cent , of  the  milk  of  Boston,  was  adulter- 
ated. ( Within  a few  weeks  after , it  ivas  proved  that  he  himself  teas 
selling  receipts  to  milkmen  to  aid  them  in  adulterating , and  he  resigned 
his  position  as  milk-inspector.)  He  thought  there  was  less  adultera- 
tion of  food  and  medicines  than  ever  before ; that  the  existing  laics 
were  ample,  — no  adulteration  of  teas  in  this  country  ; coffee  too  cheap 
to  adulterate , sugar  too  cheap  to  adulterate  with  terra-alba.  If  a 
buyer  didn’t  know  that  he  was  eating  oleomargarine,  then  it  w’as  good 
enough  for  him.  Less  adulterations  of  wines  and  liquors  than  ever 
before;  adulterations  decreasing  every  year.  He  didn’t  know’  of  any 
such  article  as  artificial  milk  ( subsequently  he  admitted  that  he  kneic  it 
teas  used  in  Paris  during  the  German  siege , and  that  he  had  manu- 
factured it  in  his  oiun  office ),  etc. 


THE  WAR  ON  ADULTERATION. 


61 


Another  chemist  opened  his  batteries  by  declaring  that  there  were 
no  adulterated  sugars  in  this  country , etc.  And  the  State  liquor- 
inspector  declared  that  the  wines  and  liquors  he  had  been  called  upon 
to  analyze  contained  44  very  little  worse  than  water  p”  which  state- 
ment resulted,  curiously  enough,  in  the  introduction  of  a bill  in  the 
Legislature  to  abolish  the  office,  inasmuch  as  it  teas  not  worth  while 
for  the  State  tos  pay  twenty-jive  hundred  dollars  a year  for  analyzing 
what  was  4 no  worse  than  water.’  ” The  bill  did  not  pass;  but  the 
salary  was  reduced,  if  I remember  rightly,  to  fifteen  hundred  dollars. 

TEN  DAYS  IN  44  BOSTON  HERALD.” 

The  battle  was  on  for  which  I had  been  two  years  preparing.  I 
•called  upon  the  leading  editor  of  the  44  Herald,”  and  told  him  that 
I was  at  his  service  ; and  for  ten  days , through  the  columns  of  the 
44  Herald,”  with  a daily  circulation  of  considerably  over  a hundred 
thousand,  I put  in  the  evidence. 

The  first  day,  I took  milk  and  diseased  meats  ; the  second , sugars 
nnd  candies  ; the  third , tea  and  coffee  ; the  fourth,  oleomargarine  and 
tin-ware  ; the  fifth,  vinegar,  pickles,  baking-powders,  mustard,  cocoa, 
cloves,  cinnamon,  ginger,  soothing-sirups ; the  sixth  and  seventh, 
poisonous  wall-papers,  showing,  among  other  things,  that  the  Michi- 
gan State  Board  of  Health  had  prepared  a book,  entitled  44  Shadoivs 
from  the  Walls  of  Death,”  containing  seventy-five  representative 
samples  of  these  poisonous  papers  of  various  colors,  and  had  caused 
a copy  to  he  placed  in  every  important  iniblic  library  of  the  State  as  a 
learning  to  the  people;  eighth,  glucose,  liquors,  drugs,  cosmetics, 
poisonous  toys,  cards,  and  other  poisonous  papers  ; ninth,  lead  and 
arsenic  in  dress-goods,  and  a great  variety  of  articles  of  dress,  orna- 
ment, and  common  use;  and,  tenth,  a large  amount  of  general  evi- 
dence, and  a plea  for  public-health  associations  and  organizations  to 
remedy  this  great  evil. 

WHAT  THE  PAPERS  SAID. 

To  give  the  details  of  the  newspaper-war  which  followed  during 
several  months,  would  require  a volume.  One  trade-paper  declared 
that  I had  44  attacked  every  trade  in  the  city  of  Boston.”  I replied 
that  I had  only  attacked  the  rascals  in  every  trade.  In  another 
paper,  I saw  that  a public  meeting  was  to  be  called  in  Faneuil  Hall, 
to  denounce  my  charges.  I offered  to  pay  twenty-five  dollars  for  the 
privilege  of  addressing  the  meeting. 

No  Boston  daily  paper,  as  I remember,  took  ground  against  me: 


62 


A U TOBIOGRA PIIIC A L SKETCHES. 


they  either  sustained  or  stood  non-committal ; and  many  of  them  did 
good  service  in  my  support.  So,  also,  did  many  weeklies  and  coun- 
try papers.  The  “ Spr in cjjield  Republican,”  I remember,  in  particu- 
lar, with  the  pen  of  Frank  B.  Sanborn,  secretary  of  the  American 
Social-science  Association,  gave  some  of  the  keenest  thrusts  at  my 
opponents  ; and  the  “ Massachusetts  Ploughman ,”  owned  by  my  friend 
George  Noyes,  did  manly  service.  So  also,  while  these  various  chem- 
ists were  attacking,  other  chemists  came  openly  to  my  aid  ; and  others r 
who  for  various  reasons  did  not  wish  to  be  openly  quoted,  gave  me 
confidential  support. 

citizens’  trade  association. 

On  April  21,  by  special  invitation,  I lectured  on  the  subject  before 
the  Citizens'  Trade  Association  of  East  Boston , composed  of  some 
two  hundred  leading  merchants  and  business  men.  My  wife  thought* 
in  the  existing  excitement,  my  audience  might  prove  a stormy  one. 
I was  never  listened  to  more  attentively  in  my  life.  At  the  close,  I 
received  a unanimous  general  vote  of  thanks,  and  the  personal  thanks 
of  perhaps  some  forty  persons  ; and  the  entire  lecture  was  published 
in  the  leading  East-Boston  paper,  occupying  eleven  and  a half  col- 
umns. And,  indeed,  I may  properly  sa}T  here,  that  in  all  the  battles 
that  followed  on  this  subject,  lasting  through  several  }*ears,  although 
I publicly  attacked  practices  which  gave  employment  to  thousands  of 
persons,  and  from  which  came  enormous  profits,  and  did  my  best  to 
stop  them,  I am  not  aware  that  I ever  received  in  return  in  the  streets 
of  Boston  the  slightest  insult.  Friends  expressed  to  me  their  wonder 
that  I was  not  assaulted,  and  declared  that  I was  taking  imprudent 
risks  ; but  I am  inclined  to  think  that  the  very  classes  I attacked* 
while  they  did  not  wrish  to  abandon  practices  that  were  enriching 
them,  still,  in  their  hearts,  respected  me. 

SHOOTING  LIVE  PIGEONS  FOR  SPORT. 

In  the  first  of  March  I took  part  in  another  battle,  to  'which  I 
always  look  back  with  pleasure.  Several  hundreds  of  our  wealthy 
and  influential  young  gentlemen,  and  also  some  older  ones,  had 
formed  themselves  into  clubs  for  the  purpose  of  following  the  Eng- 
lish fashion  of  shooting  live  pigeons  from  traps  for  sport.  It  was  a 
cruel  practice,  — cruel  in  methods  of  catching  the  pigeons,  and  cruel 
in  the  keeping  of  them  weeks  and  months  in  little  cages,  until  they 
were  wanted ; cruel  in  the  outrages  sometimes  practised  in  plucking 
out  feathers,  or  putting  out  an  eye,  and  other  tricks,  to  affect  their 


TEE  CLERGY  ON  PIGE ON—S HOOTING. 


63 


flight ; and  cruel  in  the  mangling  and  wounding  of  those  not  killed. 
We  were  determined  to  stop  it  in  Massachusetts  if  possible.  The 
clubs  felt  safe,  and  were  not  really  alarmed,  I think,  until  we  had 
pushed  the  bill  making  it  illegal  through  the  House  of  Representa- 
tives, and  got  it  before  the  Judiciary  Committee  of  the  Senate.  Here 
they  made  their  stand,  and  brought  all  their  guns  to  bear. 

They  were  represented  by  three  able  counsel,  brought  petitions 
with  very  wealthy  and  influential  names,  and  attended  personally  in 
large  number.  The  hearing  occupied  three  days,  March  11,  12,  and 
14,  and  was  the  longest  hearing  of  the  session,  I think. 

THE  CLERGY. 

On  Monday,  March  10,  the  day  before  the  hearing  began,  there 
was  a meeting  of  some  four  hundred  of  the  Protestant  clerg}'  of 
Boston  and  vicinity.  I went  to  that  meeting,  and  asked  permission 
to  speak,  laid  the  matter  before  them,  and  asked  them  to  pass  a reso- 
lution calling  upon  the  Legislature  to  enact  our  law.  They  passed  it 
unanimously  ; and  the  next  morning  I was  able  to  offset  the  petitions 
of  some  hundreds  of  Massachusetts  pigeon-sliooters , with  the  petition 
of  about  four  hundred  Massachusetts  clergymen.  I conducted  the 
case,  making  the  opening  and  closing  arguments  ; being  greatly  aided 
by  Mr.  A.  Firth,  our  secretary,  and  Capt.  Currier,  our  chief  officer. 
I endeavored  to  draw  the  distinction  between  sport  and  cruelty ; told 
these  gentlemen  that  pigeon-shoots  belonged  to  the  same  family  with 
dog-fights  and  cock-fights,  and  in  our  Commonwealth  there  could  not 
be  one  law  for  the  rich  and  another  for  the  poor. 

I urged  them  to  abandon  a sport  to  which  they  were  not  willing  to 
take  their  wives  and  little  daughters  ; and,  when  their  counsel  said 
there  were  two  sides  to  the  question,  I replied  that  there  ivere  two 
sides  to  the  question,  — one  represented  by  the  Governor  of  our  State, 
in  our  great  Music  Hall,  at  the  annual  meeting  of  our  society,  in  the 
presence  of  an  audience  of  three  thousand  persons,  giving  prizes  to 
children  for  the  best  compositions  on  kindness  to  animals ; and  the 
other  by  the  dog-fight,  the  cock-fight,  and  the  pigeon-shoot. 

Our  law  passed  the  Senate  by  a vote  of  about  two  to  one,  and  has 
never  to  my  knowledge  been  violated  but  once  since  ; and,  as  we 
have  about  five  hundred  prosecuting-agents  through  the  State,  if  it 
ever  had  been,  I think  I should  have  known  it.  In  the  one  instance, 
it  was  reported  to  me  within  twenty-four  hours  after  it  occurred  ; and 
the  six  young  gentlemen  who  participated  were  by  my  orders 
promptly  arrested  and  convicted,  and  paid  about  sixty  dollars  fines 
and  costs. 


64 


A UTOB  IOGIiA  PUICAL  SKETCHES. 


THE  FIRST  CONVICTION  IN  TIIE  WORLD. 

I am  told , and  believe , that  this  was  the  first  conviction  ever  obtained 
in  the  world  for  this  brutal  sport. 

On  March  25,  occurred  the  annual  public  meeting  of  our  society 
in  Tremont  Temple,  at  which  I presided,  and  gave  an  address  before 
a large  audience,  and  was  followed  by  Wendell  Phillips,  Phillips 
Brooks,  J.  Boyle  O’Reilly,  Rev.  James  Freeman  Clarke,  and  Nathan 
Appleton.  My  address  appeared  in  full  in  “ The  Boston  Daily 
Advertiser  ” of  March  26. 

About  this  time  a wealthy  gentleman  of  Boston  undertook  to  form 
a 1 4 Public  Health  Association,”  and  called  upon  me  for  help.  He 
obtained  an  Act  of  incorporation,  and  many  names  of  our  best  citi- 
zens. For  reasons  which  it  is  not  necessary  to  give,  it  did  not  prove 
a success ; and,  aside  from  the  information  that  had  been  put  before 
the  public,  the  adulteration  battle  seemed  likely  to  result  in  no  deci- 
sive action. 

STRIKE  AGAIN. 

One  of  the  trade  papers  which  had  opposed  my  efforts  had  com- 
pared me  to  an  old  clock  which  once  wound  up  ivould  never  stop)  strik- 
ing. I liked  the  simile,  and  thought  I would  strike  again.  So  I 
prepared,  with  great  care,  another  paper  longer  than  the  first,  and 
containing  a larger  amount  of  evidence,  and  arranged  to  read  this 
before  the  national  meeting  of  the  American  Social  Science  Asso- 
ciation at  Saratoga  Springs,  Sept.  10,  where  it  would  be  veiy  wide- 
ly reported,  provided  it  should  not  by  some  trick  be  suppressed. 
I suspected  efforts  wTould  be  made  to  suppress  it.  So  I had  it  set  up 
in  print  in  our  “Boston  Daily  Advertiser”  office  in  advance,  and 
slips  sent  to  leading  papers  of  the  country.  I read  the  paper  ; and  at 
the  close  a man  from  New-York  City  rose  in  the  audience,  and  with- 
out argument  or  proof  simply  pronounced  my  statements  false.  I 
did  not  think  it  worth  while  to  reply.  The  next  day  I found  that  the 
Associated  Press  agent  had  been  arranged  with  not  to  report  my  paper, 
but  simply  to  send  over  the  country  the  fact  that  I had  made  certain 
statements  about  adulteration,  which  a New-  York  gentleman  pronounced 
false.  This  agent  afterwards  explained  that  he  had  been  very  much 
deceived  by  the  New-York  man,  who  was  subsequently  ascertained 
to  be  connected  with  the  great  oleomargarine  manufacturers  of  that 
city.  I am  glad  to  say  that  the  precaution  I had  taken,  of  having 
slips  sent  off  in  advance  to  leading  papers  of  the  country,  upset  the 
New-York  man’s  calculations  ; and  before  the  meeting  at  w hich  I read 
the  paper  closed,  a companion  brought  him  a newspaper  containing 


MOST  IMP  OUT  ANT  EVIDENCE. 


05 


xny  paper ; and  a friend  of  mine  sitting  behind  them  heard,  with  lan- 
guage not  to  be  repeated,  the  statement  that  now  “ the thing 

would  go  all  over  the  country.”  He  was  about  right.  It  did  travel 
very  widely. 


SARATOGA  HUMANE  SOCIETY. 

1 stopped  at  Saratoga  Springs  about  a week  after  the  close  of  the 
Social  Science  meetings,  and  gave  addresses  on  u Kindness  to  Ani- 
mals,” in  churches  and  before  the  various  Sunday  schools;  also  at 
the  town-hall,  and  two  meetings  at  the  United-States  Hotel,  at  the 
last  of  which  I was  glad  to  aid  in  organizing  the  “ Saratoga  Humane 
■Society.” 


DETROIT  AND  CHICAGO. 

Passing  the  next  Sunday  at  Niagara  Falls,  I went  to  Detroit,  where 
I addressed  the  “ Prismatic  Club”  composed  of  leading  citizens  of 
that  city,  on  “ Crimes  against  Public  Health.” 

From  thence  to  Chicago,  where  on  Oct.  8,  9,  and  10,  I attended  the 
annual  meetings  of  the  American  Humane  Association , and  visited 
the  stock-yards,  finding  that  eight  hundred  and  thirty-three  swine  had 
been  taken  from  the  cars,  dead,  the  morning  of  my  visit,  by  reason  of 
cruel  transportation. 


MOST  IMPORTANT  EVIDENCE. 

At  the  close  of  these  meetings,  I addressed  by  invitation  the 
homoeopathic  physicians  of  the  city,  and  searched  out  the  leading 
chemists  and  microscopists  to  obtain  their  testimony  in  regard  to 
poisonous  and  dangerous  adulterations,  ichicli  I found  most  important 
and  overwhelming.  This  I took  with  great  care,  then  fortified  it  with 
certificates  of  their  professional  standing  from  judges  of  the  courts 
and  distinguished  citizens,  and  a very  strong  letter  from  Dr.  De- 
Wolf,  commissioner  of  public  health,  iu  which  he  urged  “ the  press- 
ing need  of  National  and  State  legislation  to  prevent  the  enormous 
sales  of  foods  and  other  articles  dangerous  to  public  health.” 

“ The  Chicago  Times”  tried  hard  to  get  the  exclusive  right  of 
first  publication  ; which  I declined,  and  so  it  appeared  in  full  in  the 
“ Chicago  Tribune”  “ Inter-  Ocean,”  and  “ Stacits  - Zeitung”  of 
Oct.  22  the  “ Times”  publishing  an  interview  with  me  instead. 

On  Oct.  24  I addressed  the  semi-annual  meeting  of  the  Illinois 
Microscopical  Society , on  the  same  subject. 


66 


A UTOli IOGRA  P 11 1C  A L SKETCHES. 


MILWAUKEE. 

Oct.  25,  with  Mr.  Edwin  Lee  Brown,  president  of  the  American 
Humane  Association,  and  at  his  suggestion,  I went  to  Milwaukee,  and 
addressed  the  Fortnightly  Club , composed  of  leading  citizens,  on  the 
protection  of  animals. 

WISCONSIN  HUMANE  SOCIETY. 

On  Oct.  30  I gave  another  address  before  the  same  club  at  the 
Plankinton  House,  and  assisted  in  organizing  the  Wisconsin  Humane 
Society , which  has  become  a very  influential  organization. 

Sunday,  Nov.  2,  I lectured  in  the  morning  in  the  Unitarian  Church 
of  Rev.  Mr.  Gordon,  now  president  of  the  Humane  Society,  on  “ The 
Relations  of  Animals  that  can  speak , to  those  that  are  Dumb  ; ” and  in 
the  evening  gave  the  same  lecture  before  a large  union  meeting  of 
churches  in  the  Calvary  Presbyterian  Church.  Monday  evening, 
Nov.  3,  I lectured  before  the  Popular  Science  Society , on  “Crimes 
against  Public  Health ; ” and  Nov.  4,  started  for  Minnesota. 

MINNEAPOLIS. 

Nov.  9 (Sunday  evening)  I lectured  in  Rev.  Dr.  Tuttle's  church , 
the  finest  in  Minneapolis,  to  an  audience  of  about  eight  hundred.. 
My  lecture  was  fully  reported  in  the  papers,  and  resulted  in  my  being 
urged  to  occupy  the  same  pulpit  the  next  Sunday  night,  Nov.  1C>, 
when  I had  an  audience  of  nearly  a thousand.  Nov.  17  1 addressed 
a meeting  of  the  Trinitarian  clergy  of  the  city,  on  the  growth  of  crime, 
including  crimes  against  public  health  and  crimes  against  animals. 
At  the  close  they  unanimously  voted  to  invite  me  to  repeat  it  before 
a union  meeting  of  the  churches,  at  the  Academy  of  Music,  the  next 
Sunday  evening,  at  which  the  governor  of  the  State  should  be  invited 
to  preside. 

LADIES’  MORAL  AND  HUMANE  EDUCATION  SOCIETY. 

Nov.  20  I addressed  a large  meeting  of  ladies  at  the  private  school- 
hall  of  Miss  Judson,  daughter  of  the  celebrated  missionary  Adoniram 
Judson,  and  organized  the  Ladies'  Moral  and  Humane  Education  So- 
ciety of  Minneapolis.  Nov.  21  I lectured  on  animals  before  the  Min- 
nesota Episcopal  Convocation , then  in  session  ; and  Sunday  evening, 
Nov.  23,  on  crime,  — first , in  the  Academy  of  Music , to  an  audience 
crowding  the  entire  building,  and  presided  over  by  the  governor 
and,  second , to  an  overflow-meeting  of  several  hundreds,  presided 
over  by  one  of  the  judges,  in  Association  Hall.  . 


THE  WAR  ON  ADULTERATION  CONTINUED. 


67 


I remained  in  Minneapolis  several  days,  to  aid  in  establishing  the 
Moral  and  Humane  Education  Society,  giving  several  addresses  , 
and,  on  Dec.  3,  went  to  St.  Paul,  where  I lectured  Saturday  evening* 
Dec.  6,  in  the  large  Presbyterian  Church , on  crime,  and  Sunday 
evening,  Dec.  7,  in  the  Unitarian  Church , on  animals. 

I made  a short  stop  in  this  city  ; as  they  already  had  a State  society 
for  the  prevention  of  cruelty  to  animals,  and  there  was  at  the  tune 
great  religious  excitement  on  account  of  the  presence  of  two  evan- 
gelists, who  were  holding  meetings  which  enlisted  the  churches. 

Dec.  9 I went  to  Brainerd,  on  the  Northern  Pacific  Railroad* 
returned  next  day,  started  for  home  Dec.  11,  and  arrived  the  19th, 
having  given  just  thirty  lectures  and  addresses  since  leaving  Boston, 
and  contracted  a bad  cold , resulting  in  bronchitis , which  troubled  me 
during  the  entire  winter. 

1880. 

As  the  result  of  my  bronchitis,  with  the  exception  of  five  hearings, 
before  committees  of  the  Massachusetts  Legislature  I did  no  public 
speaking  this  year  until  the  annual  meeting  of  our  society  in  Boston 
Music  Hall,  April  9,  at  which  some  twenty-five  hundred  persons  were 
present.  Here  I gave  the  opening  address,  published  in  May  “ Our 
Dumb  Animals,”  and  was  followed  by  Gov.  Long,  Mayor  Prince* 
Judge  Russell,  Hon.  Patrick  Collins,  and  Hon.  Henry  P.  Kidder. 

THE  WAR  ON  ADULTERATION  CONTINUED. 

Public  attention  had  been  now  widely  attracted  to  dangerous  and 
poisonous  adulterations ; the  press  of  the  country  was  publishing 
much  on  the  subject,  and  I was  frequently  called  upon  to  give  infor- 
mation, or  write  articles.  The  great  adulterating  interests,  involving 
many  millions  of  capital,  were  aroused  ; and  I was  told,  that,  at  the 
annual  meeting  of  the  “American  Social  Science  Association”  at 
Saratoga  Springs  this  year,  chemists  were  to  come  from  various  parts, 
of  the  country  to  refute  my  charges,  and  allay  public  excitement. 
So  I quietly  packed  my  trunk,  filling  the  bottom  with  nearly  half  a 
bushel  of  the  evidences  of  adulteration,  and  went  to  a quiet  spot  in 
the  White  Mountains  to  get  ready. 

I knew  perfectly  well  that  the  great  oleomargarine  and  glucose 
interests  alone  could  easily  raise  a million  of  dollars  as  a fighting- 
fund,  and  would  not  yield  their  enormous  profits  without  a struggle  ; 
and  I determined  to  fight  it  out  on  that  line-,  not  only  in  the  words  of 
Gen.  Grant,  “if  it  took  all  summer,”  but  if  it  took  five  years,  until 
I could  spread  before  the  country  the  facts  I had  gathered. 


68 


A UTOBIOGRAPUICAL  SKETCHES’. 


With  the  exception  of  a few  lectures  in  New  Hampshire  on  kind- 
ness to  animals,  and  crime,  and  many  letters,  I devoted  the  entire 
summer  vacation  to  preparing  for  the  battle  at  Saratoga;  and,  on 
2Sept.  6,  put  in  an  appearance  there,  armed  cap-a-pie  with  a paper 
full  of  facts  fortified  by  indisputable  evidence. 

THE  BATTLE  WITH  THE  CHEMISTS  AT  SARATOGA. 

The  battle  came  on  the  evening  of  Sept.  8.  The  chemists  put  in 
their  evidence  ; which  was,  in  substance,  that  there  was  very  little 
dangerous  adulteration,  and  no  cause  of  public  alarm.  As  a director 
of  the  association,  I obtained  the  privilege  of  both  opening  and  clos- 
ing the  discussion  ; and  the  audience  of  some  four  hundred  remained 
until  half-past  ten  o’clock  to  hear  it  out.  If  I could  judge  by  ap- 
plause, the  audience  were  with  me  from  beginning  to  end.  I put  in 
the  gist  of  what  I had  before  published,  much  that  was  new,  and 
backed  it  up  not  only  by  Eastern  authorities,  but  also  by  the  over - 
zvhelming  evidence  of  the  chemists , microscopists , and  health-officers 
of  the  West , particularly  at  Chicago , and  that  again  by  the  evidence  of 
judges  of  the  courts  and  prominent  citizens  in  regard  to  their  scien- 
tific standing.  I then  made  the  other  side  three  propositions  : — 

1st , I would  pay  to  the  treasurer  of  the  Social  Science  Association 
one  hundred  dollars.  They  should  do  the  same.  They  should  pre- 
pare an  essay  showing  little  danger  to  public  health.  I would  prepare 
another  of  precisely  the  same  length,  showdng  great  danger.  The 
two  should  be  published  in  one  pamphlet,  and  sent  to  the  newspapers 
of  the  country. 

2d , I would  appoint  the  president,  general  secretary,  or  treasurer 
of  the  association,  or  any  other  upon  wdiom  we  could  agree,  referee, 
and,  at  a time  and  place  fixed,  would  meet  all  comers ; and,  if  they 
could  prove  a single  statement  of  mine  untrue,  I would  pay  the  whole 
■costs  of  reference,  and  we  would  give  it  wide  publication. 

3d,  I would  meet  them  at  any  hour  or  place,  for  discussions. 

They  accepted  none  of  these  propositions,  and  so  the  matter  was 
left. 

At  request  of  the  Saratoga  Humane  Society,  wdiich  I had  helped 
to  found  the  previous  year,  I remained  at  Saratoga  a few  days ; 
and  on  Sunday  evening,  Sept.  19,  lectured  on  the  claims  of  ani- 
mals, to  a union-meeting  of  churches,  in  the  large  Methodist  Church ; 
and  the  next  evening,  by  request,  repeated  the  lecture  in  the  Baptist 
Church.  I then  returned  to  Boston,  more  determined  than  ever  to 
keep  striking  at  adulteration,  which  I w as  sure  was  injuring  the  health 
and  shortening  the  lives  of  hundreds  of  thousands  of  our  people. 


THE  POWER  OF  ONE  SCHOOLGIRL 


63- 


national  GRANGE 

I wrote  the  Master  of  the  National  Grange , which  I addressed  ft 
Richmond,  Va  , on  protection  of  animals,  in  1878,  and  which  was 
to  meet  this  year  at  Washington,  on  Nov.  22,  asking  permission  to> 
address  that  body  on  adulterations  ; and  was  cordially  invited  to  do  so. 

PRESIDENT  HAYES. 

I wrote  President  Hayes,  that  he  had  two  }’ears  before  kindly  put 
in  his  annual  message  to  Congress  what  I had  written  on  transporta- 
tion of  animals,  and  asked  him  to  call  attention  in  his  next  message 
to  adulterations  of  our  foods.  I addressed,  on  Oct.  18,  the  Congre- 
gational clergy  of  Boston  and  vicinity,  and,  on  Oct.  25,  the  Episcopal 
clergy. 

BOSTON  BOARD  OF  TRADE. 

I addressed  the  Boston  Board  of  Trade  on  Nov.  11.  At  this  last 
meeting , I proposed  as  referee , our  chief -justice,  either  of  three  other 
of  our  most  prominent  lawyers  ( two  of  whom  were  judges) , or  either  of 
three  of  our  most  prominent  merchants , or  any  other  upon  idiom  ice 
could  agree ; and,  if  a single  statement  of  mine  should  be  proved 
untrue,  I would  pay  the  costs  of  reference  to  the  amount  of  five  hun- 
dred dollars.  And  I offered  to  read  the  paper  I had  prepared,  before 
every  board  of  trade,  every  city  government,  and  every  legislature  in 
the  United  States,  not  too  far  distant,  at  my  own  expense.  All  this,, 
with  report  of  the  paper,  was  widely  published  in  the  “ Boston  Daily 
Advertiser”  of  Nov.  12,  1880,  and  to  some  extent  in  other  Boston- 
papers. 

TO  WASHINGTON. 

I determined  that  I would  go  to  Washington,  spend  the  winter 
there,  bring  the  matter  before  Congress,  and  get,  if  possible,  my 
evidence  sent  over  the  country  in  the  authoritative  form  of  a con- 
gressional report.  And  on  Nov.  13  I started. 

WHY  I STOPPED  AT  HARTFORD. 

I stopped  at  Hartford,  Conn.,  three  days;  and  the  following, 
which  appeared  in  the  “Journal  of  Education”  and  “Our  Dumb* 
Animals,”  of  August,  1881,  will  explain  why  I stopped  at  Hart- 
ford : — 

THE  POWER  OF  ONE  SCHOOLGIRL. 

Last  fall  I was  called  upon  at  my  hotel,  near  the  White  Mountains,  by  a* 
modest  schoolgirl  from  Hartford,  Conn.,  who  was  stopping  at  a little  cottage 


70 


A UTOBIOGRAFIIICAL  SKETCHES. 


about  two  miles  from  the  village.  She  told  me  how  much  she  had  suffered  from 
the  cruelties  inflicted  on  animals  in  her  State,  there  being  no  society  there  for 
their  protection,  and  she  asked  me  if  I could  do  anything  to  help  stop  them. 
I said,  “When  you  go  home,  see  if  you  can’t  get  a meeting  in  some  of  your 
churches  on  Sunday  evening;  and  on  my  way  to  Washington,  where  I am  to 
spend  the  winter,  1 will  stop  and  lecture,  and  we  will  see  what  can  be  done.” 

A few  weeks  after,  I received  a note,  that  she  had  succeeded  in  getting  a 
church,  and  her  father  and  mother  wished  me  to  come  to  their  house.  I reached 
Hartford  Saturday  night,  and  found  what  this  schoolgirl,  between  school-hours 
and  her  lessons,  had  been  able  to  do.  She  had  gone  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Burton, 
of  the  large  Presbyterian  Church,  and  asked  if  he  would  kindly  help  her  by 
giving  his  church  one  Sunday  evening  to  considering  the  sufferings  of  God’s 
•dumb  creatures , and  he  said  he  would.  Then  she  went  to  some  other  clergy- 
men, and  asked  them  if  they  would  kindly  help  by  giving  up  their  meetings  that 
one  evening,  and  they  said  they  would.  Then  she  went  to  the  editors,  and  asked 
if  they  would  kindly  help  by  writing  something,  and  they  said  they  would  ; and 
then  she  went  to  some  of  the  prominent  citizens,  and  invited  them  to  come  to 
the  meeting.  When  I entered  the  church  Sunday  evening,  I found  one  of  the 
finest  audiences  it  was  ever  my  privilege  to  address,  — the  very  cream  of  Hart- 
ford. At  the  close  of  my  lecture,  Dr.  Burton  rose  in  the  pulpit,  and  proposed, 
although  the  hour  was  about  half-past  nine,  that  those  who  could  conveniently 
remain  after  the  benediction  should  do  so,  and  give  their  names  then  and  there 
to  organize  a society.  Nearly  two  hundred,  as  I remember,  remained,  and  the 
next  day  a large  number  of  other  names  were  sent  in,  and  the  “ Connecticut 
Humane  Society”  — a live  organization,  which  will  probably  continue  its  work 
of  humanity  a hundred  years  after  the  writer  of  this  article  shall  rest  from  his 
labors  — now  stands  as  a monument  of  the  power  of  one  modest  but  earnest 
schoolgirl.  — G.  T.  Angell,  in  Journal  of  Education. 

The  schoolgirl  was  Miss  Gertrude  O.  Lewis  of  Hartford. 

PHILADELPHIA. 

I stopped  also  in  Philadelphia,  Nov,  16,  17,  18,  and  19,  to  attend 
the  annual  meetings  of  the  “ American  Humane  Association.”  On 
the  evening  of  the  17th  I gave  a public  address  in  Association  Hall , 
and  with  Mrs.  Angell  reached  Washington  Saturday  evening,  Nov. 
.20,  to  begin  my  winter  campaign. 

THE  CAMPAIGN  AT  WASHINGTON. 

It  was  a campaign,  as  I soon  found,  in  which  there  wras  to  be 
plenty  of  hard  work. 

The  letter  which  I had  written  President  Hayes,  in  which  I told  him 
what  I proposed,  had  been  sent  by  him  to  the  acting  officers  of  the 
National  Board  of  Health , and  was  immediately  forwarded  to  the  man 
in  New  York  who  two  years  before,  at  Saratoga  Springs,  manipulated 
the  Associated  Press  to  suppress  my  paper.  Of  course  the  oleo- 
margarine and  glucose  rings  knew  just  what  I was  up  to.  An  active 


SUNSHINE. 


71 


lobbyist  was  put  at  work.  Washington  papers  were  fixed  to  afford  me 
no  aid  ; officers  of  the  National  Board  of  Health  could  find  no  time 
to  listen  to  my  paper ; and  wires  had  been  so  skilfully  manipulated 
that  I came  very  near  being  defeated  in  reading  it  before  the  National 
Grange.  A prominent  officer  of  the  National  Board  of  Health  assured 
me,  that,  if  I expected  to  accomplish  any  thing  at  Washington  in  stop- 
ping adulteration,  I was  mistaken  ; and  a prominent  lawyer  friend  of 
mine,  an  old  resident,  told  me,  that,  considering  the  vast  capital  and 
political  influence  concerned,  1 had  undertaken  a job  as  hopeless  as  to 
storm  the  rock  of  Gibraltar.  And  I declare  that  for  the  remainder  of 
this  year  the  prospect  could  hardly  have  been  more  discouraging. 
Circulars  were  sent  from  New-  York  City  learning  Congressmen  to  have 
nothing  to  do  ivith  me.  Every  move  I made  seemed  to  be  watched. 
I found  that  among  those  working  against  me  was  a man  who  had 
once  been  tried  for  murder.  I detected  him  following  me  in  the  even- 
ing, and  was  warned  by  friends  that  I had  better  be  careful  on  the 
streets  after  dark.  By  dint  of  constant  pertinaceous  pushing,  I suc- 
ceeded in  getting  a hearing  appointed  by  the  Committee  on  Manufac- 
tures of  the  House  of  Representatives,  on  Dec.  16  ; but  when  the 
time  arrived,  only  three  of  the  committee  put  in  an  appearance,  and, 
as  there  was  no  quorum,  nothing  could  be  done.  At  the  close  of  1880 
I had  made  no  progress  at  Washington.  Of  course,  I knew  some 
members  of  Congress  who  gave  me  kind  words  ; but  I had  found  no 
man  who  was  willing  to  do  battle  against  the  great  political  and 
financial  power  of  adulteration. 

1881. 

SUNSHINE  : A SOCIETY  FOR  TIIE  PREVENTION  OF  CRUELTY  TO  ANIMALS. 

A change  of  tactics  was  clearly  needed.  I had  another  object  in 
spending  the  winter  at  Washington,  namely,  to  revive  its  dead 
Society  for  the  Prevention  of  Cruelty  to  Animals,  or  start  another  * 
and  so  I went  at  that.  I found  George  L.  Douglas,  Gen.  Graham, 
J.  B.  T.  Tupper,  and  a few  others  ready  to  co-operate.  Notices 
were  put  in  the  daily  papers,  and  a meeting  called  at  my  rooms,  918 
McPherson  Square,  Jan.  25.  In  the  mean  time,  I lectured  on  pro- 
tection of  animals,  in  the  Rev.  Dr.  Rankin’s  large  Congregational 
Church,  Sunday  evening,  Jan.  9,  and  did  lots  of  outside  talking.  At 
the  meeting  of  Jan.  25  I gave  an  address,  and  forty-one  persons 
joined.  Jan.  29  I addressed  another  meeting  at  my  rooms,  and 
about  forty  more  joined.  Sunday,  Jan.  30,  I repeated  the  lecture 
on  protection  of  animals,  in  Rev.  Dr.  Butler’s  Memorial  Church,  to 


72 


A UTOIMO GRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


a crowded  audience.  Feb.  7 we  had  another  meeting  for  organ iza- 
tion,  and  Feb.  19  another,  when,  with  the  highly  esteemed  Judge- 
Arthur  McArthur  as  president,  and  two  prosecuting  agents,  the 
society  began  a work  for  the  protection  of  animals  which  will  last 
through  the  centuries,  I hope.  The  papers  had  no  objection  to  pub- 
lishing what  I said  and  did  about  animals,  and  with  their  very  liberal 
reports  my  name  was  soon  favorably  known  to  some  Congressmen 
wrho  had  been  warned  by  the  New- York  circulars. 

Possibly  the  adulteration  crowd  thought  I had  abandoned  my 
attack,  and  would  henceforth  leave  them  to  poison  human  beings* 
and  devote  my  efforts  to  animals.  If  so,  they  were  mistaken.  I 
succeeded  in  securing,  from  the  chairman  of  the  House  Committee  on 
Manufactures,  the  appointment  of  another  hearing  on  Jan.  13  ; but 
no  quorum  appeared,  a majority  staying  away.  On  Jan.  20  I secured 
another ; but,  as  before,  a majority  of  the  committee  staid  away, 
and  there  was  no  quorum.  It  was  clearly  useless  to  expect  any 
action  from  that  committee.  I then  went  for  the  House  Committee 
on  Agriculture , but  was  soon  satisfied  that  no  quorum  of  that  com- 
mittee would  ever  give  me  a hearing : the  lobbyists  were  too  active. 

THE  YELLOW-FEVER  COMMITTEE. 

It  so  happened,  that  when  I visited  Washington,  February,  1878, 
to  endeavor  to  obtain  from  Congress  better  laws  regulating  trans- 
portation of  animals,  I met,  very  pleasantly,  Hon.  Casey  Young , 
member  of  the  House  from  Memphis,  Tenn.  It  so  happened,  that 
through  the  great  }'ellow-fever  epidemic  of  the  following  summer 
M. . Young  was  one  of  the  heroes  who  remained  in  Memphis  to  care 
for  the  sick  and  dying ; and  I had  met  him  again  at  Washington  in 
December,  and  talked  with  him  about  my  plans  of  having  a national 
monument  “to  the  heroes , living  and  dead , icho , in  1878 , fought 
yellow- fever.”  My  meetings  with  Mr.  Young  had  been  very  pleasant ; 
and  he  was  now  chairman  of  a committee  of  the  House,  appointed 
for  the  purpose  of  fighting  yellow-fever,  called  “the  Committee  on 
Epidemic  Diseases ,”  and  composed  largely  of  Southern  men,  who 
were  not  afraid  of  the  political  influence  of  either  glucose  or  oleomar- 
garine. The  New- York  lobbjdsts  had  never  suspected  that  I should 
bring  the  adulteration  of  foods  before  a committee  on  yellow-fever; 
and,  even  if  they  had  found  it  out  sooner,  it  is  quite  likely  they  would 
not  have  made  much  headwaj*  with  that  committee.  To'  Casey  Young 
I went,  and  laid  the  whole  matter  before  him  ; and  Casey  Young  de- 
clared that  Congress  and  the  country  should  have,  through  a report 
of  his  committee,  the  evidence  I wanted  to  submit.  By  his  direction, 
I wrote  the  following  petition  to  Congress  : — 


SOLID  GROUND.  — THE  REVEREND  CLERGY. 


73 


PETITION  TO  CONGRESS. 

To  the  Honorable  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United  States  of 
America,  in  Congress  assembled : 

The  petition  of  George  T.  Angell  of  Boston,  in  the  State  of  Massachusetts, 
counsellor-at-law,  respectfully  represents,  That,  during  the  past  five  years,  he  has 
devoted  much  time  to  the  careful  investigation  of  the  manufacture  and  sale  of 
poisonous  and  adulterated  foods,  and  other  poisonous  and  dangerously  adulter- 
ated articles,  in  American  markets,  and  has  gathered  a very  large  amount  of 
evidence  showing  such  manufacture  and  sale°  that  he  has,  at  different  times, 
read  three  papers  upon  this  subject  before  the  American  Social  Science  Associa- 
tion, of  which  he  is  a director,  at  its  annual  meetings,  and  more  recently  a fourth 
paper  before  the  Boston  Board  of  Trade,  receiving  a unanimous  vote  of  thanks 
from  that  body;  that  he  is  fully  prepared  to  prove  that  there  is,  at  the  present 
time,  an  enormous  sale,  in  our  markets,  of  articles  poisonously  and  dangerously 
adulterated,  endangering  the  lives  and  health  of  large  numbers  of  the  American 
people.  Wherefore,  he  prays  that  a Congressional  committee,  or  commission, 
may  be  appointed  to  carefully  investigate,  consider,  and  report  on  this  subject. 

Geo.  T.  Angell. 

Washington,  Jan  22,  1881. 

This  petition  Mr.  Young  presented  in  the  House  of  Representa- 
tives, and  had  referred  to  his  committee.  Down  came  the  man  from 
New  York  who  had  tried  to  suppress  my  paper  at  Saratoga,  and  there 
was  plenty  of  lobbying  and  wire-pulling.  But  the  yellow-fever  com- 
mittee, with  Casey  Young  at  its  head,  was  bomb-proof.  I appeared 
before  the  committee  on  Jan.  27,  Jan.  28,  and  Feb.  3 ; at  which  time 
they  voted  to  report  in  my  favor  a bill  prepared  by  Mr.  Young, 
appointing  a commission,  and  appropriating  twenty  thousand  dollars 
to  carry  it  out. 

SOLID  GROUND. 

On  Feb.  4 Mr.  Young  presented  his  report  in  the  House,  icith  about 
a hundred  manuscript  pages  of  evidence,  furnished  by  me,  annexed; 
all  of  which  was  ordered  to  be  printed,  and  my  mission  to  Washing- 
ton was  at  last  on  solid  ground.  I had  not  been  idle,  however,  in 
other  directions. 

THE  REVEREND  CLERGY. 

On  Jan.  24  I addressed  the  Monday-morning  meeting  of  the  Wash- 
ington clergy,  on  protection  of  animcds,  and  secured  an  invitation  to 
address  them  the  next  Monday  morning,  Jan.  31,  on  the  growth  of 
crime  in  general,  and  particularly  of  crimes  against  public  health. 

At  the  close  of  this  address  I was  at  once  invited  to  occupy  three 
pulpits  in  different  parts  of  the  city,  on  successive  Sunday  evenings, 
Feb.  6,  13,  and  20.  with  the  same  lecture.  Feb.  6 was  in  the  Rev. 
Dr.  Butler’s  Memorial  Church,  where  I had  previously  lectured  on 


74 


AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


animals.  It  was  a union-meeting  ; and  the  reverend  doctor,  who  had 
been  chaplain  of  the  Senate,  sent  a personal  invitation  to  every 
member  of  Congress  to  be  present.  It  was  a large  audience,  and 
had  a good  effect  to  offset  the  New-York  circulars,  whose  principal 
distributor  occupied  a front  seat. 

CIRCULATE  THE  REPORT. 

The  next  thing  was  to  circulate  the  Congressional  report  and  evi- 
dence, and  I determined  it  should  be  done  thoroughly.  For  weeks, 
both  my  good  wife  and  I were  constantly  occupied  in  directing  and 
mailing  copies  to  all  parts  of  the  country,  and  to  foreign  countries. 
Congress  printed  about  a thousand  copies.  I printed,  at  my  own 
expense,  five  thousand  more  ; also  about  as  many  more  copies  of  an 
appendix. 

We  sent  them  to  members  of  Congress , to  nearly  all  the  leading 
neivspapers  of  the  country , to  the  hundreds  of  medical  gentlemen  all 
over  the  country  belonging  to  the  “ American  Public  Health  Associa- 
tion,”  to  the  other  hundreds  belonging  to  the  “ American  Social  Science 
Association,”  to  chemists , microscopists , and  scientific  men,  to 
granges,  to  foreign  ministers  and  consuls,  in  fact,  to  everybody  that, 
during  several  weeks,  we  could  think  of,  who  might  have  influence ; 
and  then  I made  an  arrangement  with  a Washington  gentleman,  by 
which  more  than  a hundred  thousand  copies  of  most  of  the  report  were 
distributed  generally  through  the  country.  Then  I thought  my  win- 
ter’s work  done ; and  having  lectured  on  animals  at  Wilmington, 
Del.,  stopping  with  my  good  friend  the  late  respected  Edward 
Bringhurst,  I returned  to  Boston  April  30.  On  Sunday1-,  May  29,  I 
addressed  two  Sunday  schools,  and  lectured  to  a union  meeting  of 
several  leading  churches,  in  Poughkeepsie,  N.Y. 

On  June  14  I was  before  our  railroad-commissioners,  at  a hearing 
on  the  overloading  of  horse-cars. 

PRESIDENT  GARFIELD  SHOT. 

On  Saturday,  July  2,  President  Garfield  wras  shot.  Sunday,  the 
3d,  I wras  at  home,  thirteen  miles  out  of  Boston.  Monday,  the 
4tli,  I also  remained  at  home.  The  weather  was  intensely  hot.  I 
thought  a great  deal  about  the  President,  whom  I had  pleasantly  met 
at  Washington,  and  wondered  whether  they  were  keeping  him  cool. 
Tuesday,  the  5th,  as  I took  the  cars  for  Boston,  I got  a daily  paper, 
and  found  to  my  astonishment,  that,  while  the  President  was  suffer- 
ing terribly  with  heat,  no  measures  had  been  taken  to  cool  the 


TEN  LESSONS  ON  KINDNESS  TO  ANIMALS. 


75 


atmosphere  of  his  room.  The  moment  I reached  the  city,  I hurried 
to  telegraphic  headquarters,  on  State  Street,  and  had  the  following 
telegram  sent  in  precedence  of  all  others  : — 

J.  Stanley  Brown,  President's  Private  Secretary,  Washington. 

Cool  President's  room  with  long  strips  of  cotton  or  flannel  cloth  hung  across 
and  over  it,  soaked  in  ice-water. 

George  T.  Angell,  Boston. 

I then  went  at  once  to  Mr.  Pulsifer,  of  the  “ Boston  Herald,”  told 
him  what  I had  done,  and  asked  him  to  send  a similar  telegram.  I 
had  the  pleasure  of  reading  in  the  papers  of  July  7,  that  the  Presi- 
dent’s room  was  now  cooled  by  cloths  soaked  in  ice- water. 

TEN  LESSONS  ON  KINDNESS  TO  ANIMALS. 

From  the  making  of  my  will  in  1864,  before  referred  to,  I had 
always  held  the  doctrine  that  a thousand  times  more  could  be  done  to 
prevent  cruelty  by  humane  education  than  by  any  other  means,  and 
that  the  important  time  to  begin  is  in  early  childhood.  I had  never 
seen  any  publications  which  satisfied  my  ideas  of  what  should  be  put 
into  the  hands  of  children  to  both  interest  and  instruct.  If  there 
were  any  such  in  the  world,  I had  not  seen  them  ; and  I determined 
to  try  my  hand.  So  I called  upon  Mr.  William  E.  Sheldon  of  Boston, 
editor  of  “The  Primary  Teacher,”  a publication  going  to  some  twenty- 
five  thousand  teachers,  and  the  only  publication  of  just  its  kind  in  the 
world,  and  arranged  with  him  to  write  gratuitously  for  his  publica- 
tion u Ten  Lessons  on  Kindness  to  Animals ,”  to  tlie  preparation  of 
wdiich  I would,  with  proper  materials,  give  my  summer  vacation. 

At  the  same  quiet  spot  in  the  mountains  of  New  Hampshire  where 
I had  gone  the  year  before,  I gave,  with  the  exception  of  three  or 
four  lectures,  the  entire  vacation  to  this  subject. 

It  gives  me  happiness  to  know  that  these  lessons  have  not  only 
gone  to  about  fwenty-five  thousand  primary  teachers  through  this 
publication,  but  have  been  reprinted  to  greater  or  less  extent,  not  only 
in  all  our  American  and  some  European  humane  journals,  but  also  in 
a great  variety  of  educational  and  other  papers  in  this  country,  Eng- 
land, and  on  the  Continent.  I printed  five  thousand  copies  at  my  own 
expense,  and  presented  them  to  our  Massachusetts  society  with  the 
electrotype-plates,  from  which  other  editions  are  now  printed  as 
called  for. 

BOSTON  CLERGY  ON  ADULTERATION. 

On  Sept.  12  I addressed  “ The  Evangelical  Alliance,”  several  hun- 


76 


A UT0B10GRAPH1CAL  SKETCHES. 


6 reds  of  the  clergy  of  Boston  and  vicinity,  on  adulterations,  and  had 
copies  of  the  Congressional  report  distributed. 

AMERICAN  HUMANE  ASSOCIATION. 

On  Oct.  19  I gave  an  address  before  “The  American  Humane 
Association,”  at  Tremont  Temple  ; and,  Oct.  20,  presided  and  gave 
another  address  at  the  festival  of  the  same  association,  in  Horticul- 
tural Hall,  at  which  several  hundred  gentlemen  and  ladies  were 
present,  — the  first  festival  of  its  hind  in  America. 

VIVISECTION. 

On  Oct.  26  a letter,  written  by  me  the  day  previous,  appeared  in 
six  Boston  daily  papers,  asking  those  who  would  like  to  form  a society 
to  limit  vivisection , and  give  money  to  support  it , to  send  me  their 
names.  Some  twenty,  or  thereabouts,  responded,  but  not  enough  to 
warrant  its  formation.  It  answered  a part  of  my  purpose  in  calling 
public  attention  to  the  subject. 

MORAL  AND  HUMANE  EDUCATION  SOCIETY. 

Oct.  28  and  Nov.  19  I had  interviews  with  various  prominent 
educational  gentlemen  in  regard  to  forming  a Moral  and  Humane 
Edxication  Society , similar  to  the  one  I aided  in  forming  at  Minne- 
apolis ; and  on  Dec.  9 I read  before  the  council  of  the  “American 
Social  Science  Association”  an  essay  on  the  same  subject,  reported 
in  the  daily  papers  of  Dec.  10. 

BOSTON  GROCERS. 

On  Nov.  14  I again  addressed  “The  Evangelical  Alliance”  on 
adulteration,  and  offered  resolutions,  which  they  referred,  at  my  re- 
quest, to  a committee  ; and  on  Nov.  29  I drew,  by  request  of  leading 
grocers  of  Boston , a form  for  petition  to  the  Legislature,  to  enact 
more  stringent  laws  against  adulteration. 

1882. 

CLERGY,  GROCERS,  AND  LAW. 

On  Jan.  9 the  evangelical  ministers  of  Boston  and  vicinity  unani- 
. mously  passed  the  resolutions  I had  submitted,  and  which  had  been 
widely  published  by  the  Boston  press,  calling  upon  our  Legislature  to 
enact  stringent  laws  to  prevent  the  manufacture  and  sale  of  danger- 


A NARROW  ESCAPE  FOR  LIFE. 


77 


■ously  adulterated  articles.  In  February  one  hundred  and  tldrty-four 
petitions  of  the  form  I had  drawn,  signed  by  thousands  of  most 
respectable  grocers  and  their  customers  through  the  State,  praying 
for  laws  to  punish  and  prevent  adulteration,  wrere  presented  to  the 
Legislature  ; and  a bill  was  introduced  for  that  purpose. 

I sent  my  Congressional  report  to  every  member,  wrote  letters 
which  appeared  in  various  Boston  daily  papers,  talked  with  people, 
and  aided  in  every  way  in  my  power.  It  was  fought  at  every  point, 
but  after  various  delays  passed  the  House,  and  came  to  its  third  and 
last  consideration  in  the  Senate  ; when  on  Friday,  May  19,  just  at  the 
close  of  the  sessioji,  by  a piece  of  legerdemain,  its  passage  was  pre- 
vented, and,  unless  reconsidered  at  the  next  Monday’s  session,  would 
be  lost.  I immediately  wrote  letters  to  our  editors,  which  appeared 
in  Saturday,  Sunday,  and  Monday  morning’s  papers ; and  on  Monday 
I passed  a considerable  portion  of  the  day  at  the  State  House. 

The  bill  was  reconsidered , and  became  the  law  of  Massachusetts ; and 
it  is  now  a source  of  much  gratification  to  me  to  see  the  stringent  laws 
which  are  being  enacted  in  many  of  the  States  to  remedy  this  great 
evil.  Messrs.  Charles  E.  Moody  and  H.  E.  Cobb  of  Boston,  promi- 
nent grocers,  rendered  great  service  in  passing  our  Massachusetts  law. 
During  the  winter  and  spring  I had  another  fight  for  dogs  at  the  State 
House,  which  resulted  in  our  favor.  I wrote  considerable  for  the 
papers,  gave  various  lectures,  an  address  before  the  Connecticut 
Humane  Society’s  annual  meeting  at  Hartford,  and  became  a life- 
member  of  the  “ Massachusetts  Society  for  the  Prevention  of  Cruelty 
to  Children .” 

A NARROW  ESCAPE  FOR  LIFE. 

On  Feb.  24  I came  very  near  losing  my  life.  On  my  way  to  the 
State  House,  a block  of  ice  weighing  about  ten  pounds  fell  from  a 
five-story  building  on  Park  Street,  and  struck  me  a glancing  blow 
which  knocked  me  down  instantly,  and  from  the  effects  of  which  I 
did  not  recover  for  several  weeks.  A variation  of  a few  inches 
would  have  killed  me.  I wrote  through  the  various  papers  a caution 
to  property-owners  to  be  more  careful  of  their  roofs.  The  next 
winter  a lady  was  struck  by  another  block  of  ice,  within  a hundred 
feet  of  where  I was  standing,  and  killed  instantly.  I then  wrote 
again.  On  Sunday,  March  26,  by  invitation  of  the  Maine  Society 
for  the  Prevention  of  Cruelty  to  Animals,  through  Hon.  Charles  Mc- 
Laughlin, its  president,  I lectured  on  the  relations  of  animals,  etc., 
at  Portland,  Me.,  before  a union  meeting  of  Jive  large  churches, — 
Episcopal , Sicedenborgian , Unitarian , and  two  Congregational. 


78 


AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHED. 


On  June  30,  on  invitation  of  Nathan  Appleton,  Esq.,  I visited 
Newport,  R.I.,  to  aid  in  organizing  a society  there. 

‘ ‘ OUR  DUMB  ANIMALS  ’ ’ AND  AMERICAN  BAND  OF  MERCY. 

On  June  1,  our  secretary  having  resigned,  and  it  being  necessary 
to  supply  his  place  with  an  inexperienced  man,  I concluded  to  con- 
fine myself  more  closely  to  our  Massachusetts  Society,  and  to  resume 
the  editorial  management  of  U0ur  Dumb  Animals .”  At  the  May 
directors’  meeting  I proposed,  and  the  directors  voted,  a committee  on 
“ humane  education .”  At  the  meeting  of  that  committee  on  June  7, 
I proposed,  and  the  committee  voted,  to  prepare  a pledge  and  card  for 
children  in  the  schools. 

REY.  THOMAS  TIMMINS. 

I had  just  got  ready  to  begin  a campaign  of  humane  education, 
when,  on  July  8,  just  one  month  and  one  day  from  our  vote,  I was 
introduced  by  my  friend  Chief- Justice  Parmenter  to  the  Dev.  Thomas 
Timmins  of  Portsmouth,  Eng.,  who  had  been  connected  with  an 
English  “Band  of  Mercy,”  and  who  was,  of  all  men  in  the  world, 
just  the  man  needed  to  help  carry  out  the  work.  If  our  meeting  just, 
at  that  time  was  not  providential,  it  was  certainly  wonderful,  and  in 
the  light  of  results  will,  I am  sure,  by  many  who  have  read  Mr. 
Timmins's  interesting  history  of  it,  be  deemed  providential.  We 
immediately  began  work,  determined  to  found  a great  order  of  mercy , 
which  should  reach,  not  only  through  the  State,  but  over  the  continent, 
and  as  much  farther  as  God  willed.  During  twenty  days  we  laid  its 
foundations,  most  carefully  considering  and  discussing  every  point. 

It  shoidd  take  the  English  name  “ Band  of  Mercy,”  with  the  pre- 
fix of  “ American.”  In  all  other  res})ects  it  shoidd  be  entirely  differ- 
ent from  any  thing  that  had  preceded  it.  It  should  include  “ all 
harmless  living  creatures,”  both  human  and  dumb.  It  should  have  its 
own  pledge,  badge,  and  card  of  membership. 

Those  who  have  read  Mr.  Timmins’s  history  before  referred  to  wilL 
know  how  we  labored,  and  thought,  and  studied  every  point  before 
we  finally  decided,  and  how  at  last  we  finished  with  the  perfection  of 
that  beautiful  five-pointed-star  badge  on  which  is  engraved  “ Ghry 
to  God,”  “ Peace  on  Earth,”  “ Good  will  to  All,”  “ Kindness  to  all 
harmless  living  creatures.” 

THE  FIRST  BAND. 

The  formation  in  my  office  of  the^?rs£  “American  Band  of  Mercy,” 
Mr.  Timmins  has  well  described  in  his  history  before  referred  to,  as- 
follows : — 


THE  GOVERNOR,  MAYOR,  AND  CHIEF-JUSTICE. 


79 


“ It  was  a proud  day  to  us  both,  July  28,  1882,  and  one  of  great  thankful- 
ness, when,  all  being  ready,  we  asked  Mr.  Angell  that  we  might  consecrate  and 
begin  the  ‘ American  Band  of  Mercy  ’ with  prayer.  To  see  him  enter  into  the 
spirit  of  it,  was  an  inspiration.  His  prompt  stationing  an  officer,  that  there 
might  be  no  interruption;  the  inviting-in  the  other  officers  of  the  Massachusetts 
Society;  and  the  brmging-in  the  cards  of  membership,  and  laying  them  on  the 
table,  — we  shall  never  forget  the  scene.  Then,  in  a few  words  of  thankfulness 
to  Almighty  God  for  his  goodness  in  leading  us  to  this  work,  of  keeping  up  so  far 
our  weak  health  and  strength,  and  that  he  would  grant  his  grace  and  the  spirit 
of  Christ  in  further  work,  we  went  down  on  our  knees,  and  poured  out  our  souls 
to  him,  beseeching  him  in  the  spirit  of  faith  to  bless  the  work  and  all  who 
should  join  to  the  end  of  time  to  the  well-being  and  happiness  of  his  creatures 
human  and  dumb,  until  cruelty  should  be  unknown,  and  kindness  and  love  for- 
ever prevail.” 

I called  two  meetings  of  the  Massachusetts  Society  for  the  Preven- 
tion of  Cruelty  to  Animals,  as  required  to  change  the  constitution, 
so  that  every  person  receiving  a membership  card  of  our  44  Band  of 
Mercy  ” should  thereby  become  also  a 44  Band  of  Mercy  ” member  of 
the  Massachusetts  Society  for  the  Prevention  of  Cruelty  to  Animals. 

THE  GOVERNOR,  MAYOR,  CHIEF-JUSTICE,  ETC. 

Then  I called  personally  upon  the  Governor  of  Massachusetts,  the 
Mayor  of  Boston,  the  Roman-Catholic  Archbishop,  President  Chad- 
bourne,  Hon.  T.  W.  Bicknell,  George  Noyes,  Esq.,  and  made  them 
all  members.  Then  I wrote  Chief-Justice  Morton  of  our  Supreme 
Court,  Wendell  Phillips,  and  other  distinguished  men,  and  made  them 
members  ; then  I went  the  rounds  of  the  editors  of  our  religious  and 
educational  papers,  and  made  them  members  ; then  1 gave  Mr.  Tim- 
mins introductions  by  letters,  and  otherwise  ; then  we  both  went  to 
wrork  right  and  left,  and  have  kept  at  work  ever  since,  with  voices  and 
pens,  Sundays  and  week-days,  in  season  and  out  of  season,  with  all 
the  powers  God  has  given  us,  until  now,  August-,  1884,  a little  over 
two  years  from  its  formation,  ive  count  three  thousand  four  hundred 
and  three  organizations , with  over  two  hundred  and  thirty-four  thou- 
sand members.  In  this  work  I have  written  thousands  of  letters, 
many  articles  for  educational  and  other  papers,  the  editorials  of 
44  Our  Dumb  Animals,”  appeals  to  clergy,  teachers,  and  citizens,  of 
which  many  thousands  have  been  circulated  ; have  addressed  teach- 
ers, schools,  and  many  other  audiences,  and  formed  personally  some 
44  Bands  of  Mercy:”  but  the  great  outside  work  in  churches  and 
schools  has  been  done  by  Mr.  Timmins,  wiio,  with  the  zeal  of  an 
apostle  and  the  faith  of  a prophet,  has  with  the  aid  of  our  friends  in 
various  places  addressed  and  won  to  the  cause  of  mercy  probably 


80 


A UTOBIOGRAPH1CAL  SKETCHES. 


not  less  than  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  of  the  over  two  hundred 
and  thirty-four  thousand  members  we  now  number. 


NOTABLE  INCIDENTS. 

Among  the  incidents  of  1882  that  I remember  with  particular  inter- 
est, were  my  forming,  with  the  aid  of  Father  Patrick  Strain,  the  first 
Roman- Catholic  “ Band  of  Mercy  ” in  America,  and  perhaps  in  the 
world , in  the  parochial  schools  of  Lynn,  Mass,,  and  another  band 
in  the  high  school  at  Moorhead,  Minn.  ; my  addresses  before  the 
Massachusetts  State  Board  of  Education,  the  annual  meeting  of 
the  Massachusetts  State  Teachers’  Association,  and  the  New-England 
assembly  of  teachers ; also  my  lectures  by  invitation  of  the  Madi- 
son, Wis.,  Society,  in  the  State  House,  to  one  of  the  finest  audiences 
that  could  be  gathered  in  that  State;  and  at  Jamestown,  Dak.,  on 
Sunday  evening,  Oct.  22,  to  a union-meeting  of  churches ; and  my 
address  to  the  children  in  Chicago  on  Oct.  30. 

FOX-HUNT. 

In  September  a fox-hunt,  for  sport  and  on  wagers,  was  widely 
advertised  to  take  place  on  an  island  in  Boston  Harbor.  I notified 
tlie  public,  through  the  papers,  that  I should  prosecute  all  engaged  in 
it,  and  called  upon  the  police  commissioners  for  aid.  They  furnished 
a force  of  police  and  detectives,  and  the  fox-hunt  was  stopped. 

MOUNT  AUBURN. 

From  overwork,  I was  in  poor  health  during  the  summer,  and  the 
feeling  that  life  was  uncertain  led  me  to  do  what  I had  hitherto  neg- 
lected ; namely,  purchase  a lot  in  Mount- Auburn  Cemetery  for  myself 
and  family,  in  which  I directed  that  Rev.  Mr.  Timmins,  in  case  of 
death  in  this  country,  and  his  wife,  should  have  burial. 

1883. 

The  growth  of  the  “ Bands  of  Mercy  ” this  year,  from  ninety-three 
organizations,  with  about  ten  thousand  members,  to  over  six  hun- 
dred, with  over  sevent}'  thousand  members,  involved,  ou  my  part, 
the  writing  of  about  two  thousand  letters,  also  the  preparation  and 
circulation  of  a large  amount  of  carefully  prepared  information.  In 
addition  to  this  and  my  ordinary  editorial  and  other  duties  as  presi- 
dent of  the  Massachusetts  Society,  which  were  not  small,  I wrote  a 
variety  of  articles  for  various  educational  and  other  papers  in  Massa- 


PROTECTION  FROM  FIRE. 


81 


chusetts,  Pennsylvania,  and  New  York,  and  delivered  a considerable 
number  of  addresses  and  lectures.  Among  the  latter,  the  principal 
were  before  the  teachers  of  the  city  of  Cambridge , March  28,  which 
resulted  in  forming  some  thirty  Bands  of  Mercy ; before  a union- 
meeting of  several  churches  in  the  city  of  Malden,  Mass.,  on  April  5 ; 
at  Portsmouth,  N.H.,  on  June  8 ; in  the  Methodist-Episcopal  Church  at 
Newton,  Sunday,  Sept.  9 ; before  two  large  meetings  of  the  Iloman- 
Catholic  and  Protestant  children  of  the  city  of  Gloucester,  Mass., 
Oct.  14  ; and  before  the  National  Education  Association  at  Boston, 
Nov.  3. 

PROTECTION  FROM  FIRE. 

About  Jan.  12  occurred  the  burning  of  a large  hotel,  the  Newhall 
House,  at  Milwaukee,  Wis.,  with  great  loss  of  life,  there  being  no 
escape  from  upper  stories  except  by  windows.  This  led  me  to  pre- 
sent, in  the  “ Boston  Daily  Advertiser  ” of  Jan.  13,  a plan  somewhat 
similar  to  that  used  in  saving  from  wrecked  vessels;  viz.,  to  hurl 
stones  or  iron  balls,  attached  to  small  strings,  into  upper  windows  ; 
with  these,  draw  up  larger ; and  with  these,  ropes,  and  belts  with 
metallic  rings,  which  would  enable  persons  to  slide  down  a safe 
incline  to  the  end  held  at  some  distance.  In  this  article,  I called  the 
attention  of  our  firemen,  and  suggested  they  should  try  to  find  some- 
thing better  if  possible.  It  attracted  considerable  attention,  resulted 
in  some  correspondence,  and,  I believe,  did  good. 

On  Jan.  29  I petitioned  the  Legislature  for  a lawmaking  it  the 
duty  of  all  teachers  of  public  schools  in  the  State  to  instruct  their 
pupils  to  protect  insect-eating  birds  and  their  nests,  and  treat  animals 
kindly. 

On  Feb.  14,  with  Hon.  Charles  L.  Flint,  president  of  the  Boston 
School  Board,  and  Hon.  Thomas  W.  Bicknell,  I addressed-  the  com- 
mittee on  the  subject ; but  the  law  failed  to  pass,  and  must  be  tried 
again. 

A law  to  encourage  the  killing  of  English  sparrows  came  before 
the  Legislature  about  this  time,  which  I thought  it,  on  the  whole,  a 
duty  to  oppose  through  the  daily  papers  and  elsewhere.  The  article 
and  evidence  then  prepared  and  printed  by  me  have  been  widely 
called  for  and  used  in  other  States. 

Feb.  5 and  6,  we  had  a battle  at  the  State  House  with  our  com- 
bined horse-railroads,  in  regard  to  putting  salt  on  their  tracks  to 
melt  snow.  We  did  this  in  response  to  a general  public  demand ; 
but  were  defeated,  as  ive  expected  to  be , by  the  political  and  financial 
influence  of  these  powerful  corporations. 

The  fall  of  a flag-staff,  fifty  feet  long  and  about  a foot  and  a half 


82 


AUT0BI0GBAPH1CAL  SKETCHES. 


thick,  from  a high  building  into  Washington  Street,  on  May  29,  led 
me  to  again  call  the  attention  of  our  city  authorities,  through  the 
daily  papers,  to  the  importance  of  a more  careful  inspection  of  roofs 
and  projections  of  buildings. 

.IMPURE  WATER. 

The  death  of  a neighbor  of  mine,  on  Aug.  30,  from  drinking  impure 
water,  led  me  to  call  public  attention,  through  the  daily  papers,  to 
the  importance  of  never  drinking  doubtful  ivater  until  it  had  been 
boiled  to  kill  any  dangerous  germs  it  might  contain. 

AMERICAN  TEACHERS’  BANDS  OF  MERCY. 

But  probably  my  most  important  work  this  year  was  arranging 
with  Hon.  T.  W.  Bicknell,  president  of  the  “ National  Education 
Association,”  and  publisher  and  editor  of  the  “American  Teacher,” 
to  form  “ American  Teachers ’ Bands  of  Mercy.”  This  has  led  to  the 
formation,  at  this  writing  (August,  1884),  of  over  three  hundred  of 
these  organizations  in  public  schools  of  a large  proportion  of  the 
United  States. 

THE  HAPPIEST  DAY. 

About  the  happiest  day  of  the  year  was  our  “ Band-of- Mercy”  day, 
at  the  immense  hall  of  our  Foreign  Exhibition,  at  the  Mechanics’ 
Institute  Building,  when  the  masses  of  children,  accompanied  by 
organ  and  full  band,  sang  the  “ Band-of-Mercy  ” hymns  composed 
by  Rev.  Mr.  Timmins. 

On  Nov.  8 of  this  year,  I was  presented  by  Dr.  Dio  Lewis  of  New 
York  with  a hundred  copies  of  his  beautiful  November  monthly, 
containing- my  photograph  and  a sketch  of  my  life  ; and,  on  Dec.  27, 
received  from  Hon.  Thomas  E.  Hill  of  Chicago  a very  costly  copy  of 
“Hill’s  Album  of  Biography,”  containing  another  photograph  and 
a shorter  sketch. 

1884. 

In  the  first  six  months  of  this  year,  up  to  this  writing,  the  growth 
of  the  “ Bands  of  Mercy  ” has  been  simply  wonderful.  In  January, 
1884,  “Our  Dumb  Animals,”  we  reported  six  hundred  and  eight 
bands,  with  over  seventy  thousand  members.  In  August , seven 
months  later , we  have  three  thousand  four  hundred  and  three  bandsr 
with  over  tivo  hundred  and  thirty-four  thousand  members.  Between 
three  and  four  hundred  of  these  new  bauds  were  made  through  my 
personal  correspondence,  and  a few  by  me  personally ; most  of  the 


PHILADELPHIA  POLICE. 


83 


rest  by  the  indefatigable  and  successful  efforts  of  Rev.  Mr.  Timmins, 
who  went  to  Cincinnati  about  the  1st  of  January,  and,  with  the  aid 
of  friends  there,  formed  over  five  hundred  bands,  mostly  in  the  public 
schools. 

He  went  to  Chicago  the  last  of  March,  and,  with  the  aid  of  friends 
there,  formed  over  a thousand,  mostly  in  the  public  schools.  He 
went  to  Rochester,  N.Y.,  in  June,  and  formed  nearly  two  hundred 
there,  mostly  in  public  schools. 

CROWDED  STREETS. 

On  Jan.  3 an  article  appeared  in  the  44  Boston  Herald, ” on  the 
delays  of  travel  in  our  narrow  and  most  crowded  streets,  because  of 
the  great  increase  of  horse-cars.  I wrote  in  the  44 Herald”  of  Jan.  4 
two  remedies,  namely  : 1st,  Compel  horse-cars  to  run  through  crowded 
thoroughfares  on  chain  cable , as  in  Chicago  and  San  Francisco.  2d, 
Cut  sideivalks  into  and  under  the  buildings  on  the  street  level , and  let 
the  present  sidewalks  be  thrown  into  the  streets , thus  adding  twenty 
feet  or  so  to  their  present  width.  If  I am  not  mistaken , both  these 
plans  will  be  adopted  ivithin  the  next  ten  years. 

A few  days  later,  another  attack  on  dogs  was  begun  at  the  State 
House,  by  two  orders  referred  to  the  Committee  on  Agriculture : 1st, 
That  every  dog-owner  in  the  Commonwealth  be  required  to  give  a 
bond  of  five  hundred  dollars,  with  sureties  to  pay  all  damage  done  by 
his  dog ; and,  2d,  That  dogs  be  restrained  to  the  owner’s  premises 
in  the  same  manner  as  horses,  cattle,  etc. 

Through  our  various  Boston  papers,  I at  once  notified  dog-owners, 
and  requested  of  the  chairman  of  the  committee  a public  hearing, 
which  resulted  successful^,  while  I was  at  Washington,  under  the 
management  of  my  friend,  Samuel  E.  Sawyer,  Esq.,  who  was  acting 
during  my  absence  as  president  pro  tern. 

PHILADELPHIA  POLICE. 

On  Jan.  18,  by  invitation  of  the  “Ladies’  Pennsylvania  Society,” 
Mrs.  Caroline  E.  White  president,  I addressed,  in  one  of  the  beauti- 
ful halls  of  Philadelphia,  the  police  of  that  city.  A splendid  audience 
of  eight  hundred  stalwart  men,  and  thirty-two  officers,  all  in  their 
best  uniforms,  with  badges,  belts,  clubs,  and  perhaps  revolvers  in 
their  pockets,  marched  in  to  listen  to  an  address  on  kindness  to 
animals,  and  receive  gold  medals  presented  by  the  society  to  those 
who  during  the  year  had  rendered  it  the  greatest  service.  So  far  as 
my  knowledge  goes , this  teas  the  first  audience  of  the  kind  ever  ad- 
dressed on  this  subject  in  the  world. 


84 


AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


WASHINGTON  SCHOOL  COMMITTEE. 

From  Philadelphia  I went,  by  invitation  of  the  Washington  Society, 
to  that  city,  and  gave  on  two  successive  Sundays,  in  three  churches, 
as  many  different  lectures  to  large  audiences.  The  last,  by  unani- 
mous vote  of  the  school-committee  of  the  city,  whom  I addressed 
on  Jan.  23,  all  the  teachers  of  white  and  colored  schools  of  the  city 
were  invited  to  attend.  I also,  during  the  week,  gave  addresses  to 
the  students  of  Howard  University  and  Way  land  Seminary , and  in 
“AU  Souls'  Church;  ” forming  in  each  a 44  Band  of  Mercy.”  It  is  a 
great  pleasure  to  me  to  know  that  the  school-committee  of  Washing- 
ton, since  my  visit,  have  voted  that  half  a day  of  each  month  shall 
he  devoted  to  teaching  the  children  in  Washington  schools  44 kindness 
to  animals;”  the  first  instance  of  the  kind,  I think , in  America. 

On  Feb.  2,  3,  and  4,  I called  public  attention,  through  our  daily 
papers,  to  the  importance  of  greater  care  in  watering  horses  in  cold 
weather,  when  our  drinking-fountains  are  closed.  On  Feb.  9 I 
received  Dio  Lewis’s  February  44  New-York  Monthly,”  containing  a 
carefully  written  article  on  adulteration,  which  I had  previously  sent 
him.  This  was  widely  copied  and  referred  to  in  other  publications. 

NATIONAL  MEETING  OF  SCHOOL-SUPERINTENDENTS. 

On  Feb.  10  I sent,  through  Hon.  T.  W.  Bicknell,  to  the  44 Na- 
tional Meeting  of  School- Superintendents”  at  Washington,  a long 
paper  on  the  44  New  Order  of  Chivalry ,”  which,  by  vote  of  the  associa- 
tion, was  published,  and  sent  to  all  school-superintendents  in  the 
United  States. 

On  March  4 I was  before  the  Judiciary  Committee  of  the  Massa- 
chusetts House  of  Representatives,  to  oppose  petitions  that  fines,  in 
cases  prosecuted  for  abuse  of  animals,  should  be  paid  to  the  State 
instead  of  our  society.  Various  parties  advocated  this  change,  but 
the  committee  were  unanimously  in  our  favor.  March  7 I received 
from  Hon.  B.  L.  Butcher,  State  superintendent  of  public  schools  of 
West  Virginia,  with  whom  I had  been  corresponding,  a package  of 
February  numbers  of  the  44  West  Virginia  School  Journal,”  edited  by 
him,  almost  filled  with  articles  advocating  the  establishment  in  all 
schools  of  4 4 Bands  of  Mercy.” 

On  May  29  I addressed,  by  invitation  of  the  head  master,  about 
eight  hundred  of  the  older  boys,  and  some  two  hundred  invited 
guests,  at  the  Dudley  School,  Boston  Highlands. 


THREE  THOUSAND  BOSTON  DRIVERS. 


85 


THREE  THOUSAND  BOSTON  DRIVERS. 

On  the  evening  of  June  16  I addressed  about  three  thousand  Bos- 
ton drivers  of  teams,  hacks,  and  carriages,  at  the  Boston  Theatre, 
and  presented,  on  behalf  of  our  society,  a gold  medal  to  Professor 
Bartholomew,  who  gave  a free  exhibition  of  his  wonderfully  trained 
horses.  The  medal  was  a heavy,  solid  gold,  five-pointed  star  of  the 
“Band  of  Mercy,”  hung  by  a gold  ring  from  a heavy  gold  shield. 
This  medal  was  paid  for  by  Col.  Henry  S.  Bussell,  owner  of  the 
world-renowned  horse  Smuggler , and  formerly  chairman  of  our 
Boston  Police  Commissioners,  who  had  greatly  aided  in  securing  this 
free  entertainment. 


86 


AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


[Continuation  of  Autobiographical  Sketches  of  Geo.  T.  Angell, 
from  the  volume  printed  in  1884.] 

1884  (continued). 

The  first  printed  volume  of  my  autobiographical  sketches  ended 
with  an  address  to  some  three  thousand  Boston  drivers  of  horses, 
on  June  16th,  1884.  I now,  at  request  of  friends,  continue  the  vol- 
ume to  January  1,  1892. 

During  this  time  I have,  as  heretofore  since  1882, — excepting  the 
winter  of  1884-5,  when  I was  at  work  in  New  Orleans  and  Florida,  — 
taken  the  entire  personal  direction  and  responsibility  of  our  home 
work,  which  in  its  various  departments  has  been  growing  every 
year,  and  extending,  not  only  through  our  own  State,  but  largely 
throughout  the  entire  country. 

The  numerous  plans  I have  submitted,  and  by  vote  of  our  direct- 
ors carried  out,  — the  numerous  hearings  I have  had  before  our 
State  Legislature  and  elsewhere,  — the  numerous  articles  I have,  at 
various  times,  written  for  the  press,  — will  mostly  appear  from  a 
careful  examination  of  " Our  Dumb  Animals but  are  too  lengthy 
for  this  volume. 

Among  the  work  which  seems  to  me  most  notable  I put  the  fol- 
lowing : — 

On  August  21st,  1884,  I gave  an  address  before  the  Connecticut 
Peace  Society. 

On  December  3d  I went,  with  Mrs.  Angell,  to  New  Orleans,  as 
superintendent  of  the  “ Humane  Department  ” of  “ The  World’s 
International  Exposition  and  to  aid  in  extending  our  work  in  the 
Southern  States,  taking  with  me  for  distribution  about  forty  thou- 
sand copies  of  humane  publications,  contributed  principally  by  the 
Massachusetts  Society  and  myself.  The  last  of  the  month  I learned 
that  grounds  had  been  prepared,  adjoining  those  of  the  Exposition, 
and  buildings  erected  upon  them  for  a series  of  bull-fights,  and  that 
the  Mexican  bull-fighters  with  their  bulls  had  arrived  in  the  city, 
and  were*  about  to  begin.  I immediately  wrote  the  three  leading 
papers  of  New  Orleans,  protesting  against  the  proposed  exhibitions. 
My  letters  appeared  in  the  “ Picayune ,”  “ Times-Democratf  and 
“ States ,”  of  December  31st,  with  editorials  sustaining  me,  and  a few 
days  later  the  Governor  of  Louisiana  gave  orders  to  have  the  bull- 
fights prevented,  and  the  bull-fighters  and  their  bulls  were  com- 
pelled to  return  to  Mexico.  I was  warned  that  this  was  a somewhat 
dangerous  thing  to  do,  but  no  harm  resulted. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


87 


1885. 

During  the  months  of  January,  February,  and  March,  up  to  March 
20th,  I remained  at  New  Orleans,  attending  daily  to  my  duties  at  the 
Exposition,  distributing  personally,  and  through  my  assistant,  about 
forty  thousand  copies  of  humane  publications,  — giving  numerous 
lectures  and  addresses  before  universities,  schools,  and  New  Orleans 
teachers,  and  other  audiences,  also  talking  about  our  work  with  and 
to  several  thousands  of  people  from  various  parts  of  our  own  and 
other  countries,  who  visited  the  Exposition,  and,  in  the  meantime, 
writing  various  articles  for  the  New  Orleans  papers  in  relation  to  it. 
I had  the  pleasure  of  aiding  in  forming  “ Bands  of  Mercy”  in  many 
of  the  schools,  and  of  helping  to  organize  at  the  St.  Charles  Hotel, 
on  March  18th,  the  “ Louisiana  Society  for  the  Prevention  of  Cruelty 
to  Animals.”  On  February  26th  I read  a paper  on  the  importance 
of  humane  education  in  schools  before  the  “ International  Congress 
of  Educators ,”  then  in  session  in  New  Orleans.  This  paper  has 
since  been  published  and  widely  circulated  by  the  United  States 
Bureau  of  Education  at  Washington,  and  republished  in  various 
papers  in  different  parts  of  the  country. 

In  all  my  New  Orleans  work  1 received  much  assistance  from  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Geo.  Nicholson,  proprietors  of  the  New  Orleans  “Pica- 
yune,” whose  house  was  our  home  until  we  obtained  permanent  ac- 
commodations. 

On  March  21st  I arrived  at  Jacksonville,  Florida.  On  the  24th  I 
called  on  the  various  city  editors,  and  on  the  25th  it  was  announced 
in  all  the  daily  papers  that  I was  there  to  help  form  societies  for  the 
prevention  of  cruelty  to  animals,  there  being  in  that  State  no  soci- 
ety and  no  law  to  protect  animals  from  cruelty.  I remained  in 
Florida  until  April  25th. 

At  Jacksonville  I gave  lectures  and  addresses  in  three  churches, 
Library  Hall,  and  various  schools.  I wrote  various  articles  for  the 
press,  talked  with  many  leading  citizens,  and,  with  the  earnest  aid 
of  Miss  Sarah  B.  Hills,  of  New  York  City,  had  the  pleasure  of  help- 
ing organize,  at  J acksonville,  the  “ Florida  State  Society  P.  C.  Ani- 
mals,” and  “ Bands  of  Mercy  ” in  all  the  principal  schools.  At  St. 
Augustine  I gave  two  addresses  in  one  of  the  churches  and  helped 
organize  the  “ St.  Augustine  Society  P.  C.  A.”  On  my  return  to 
Boston  I resumed  the  editorial  management  of  “ Our  Dumb  Ani- 
mals,” which  had  been  well  conducted  by  Secretary  Stevens  during 
my  absence. 


88 


A UTOBIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


On  September  9th  the  school  committee  of  Boston,  by  unanimous 
vote,  granted  my  petition  to  address  every  public  school  in  Boston 
one  hour  on  “ the  importance  of  treating  the  lower  animals  kindly. ” 

Considering  that  no  outside  person  had  ever  before  been  permitted 
to  address  the  Boston  public  schools  in  this  manner  upon  any  sub- 
ject, and  that  there  was  no  precedent,  so  far  as  I am  aware,  in  the 
world  for  granting  permission  to  address  on  this  subject,  and  that 
the  vote  in  a somewhat  combative  body  passed  unanimously,  I 
thought  it  about  as  good  evidence  as  could  possibly  have  been  given 
of  the  popularity  of  our  work. 

October  12th  I began  my  Boston  school  addresses,  beginning  with 
the  Normal,  Latin,  and  High,  taking  one  school  a day,  and  giving 
each  one  hour,  and  continued  through  the  year,  addressing  before 
the  close  of  the  year  about  nineteen  thousand  teachers  and  pupils, 
and  giving  to  each  of  the  about  nine  hundred  teachers  seven  of  our 
best  publications. 

On  Sunday,  October  18th,  I addressed  a union  meeting  of  churches 
at  Manchester,  New  Hampshire,  which  completely  filled  the  large 
hall,  with  many  standing. 

On  November  9th  I sent  to  the  annual  meeting  of  “ The  Ameri- 
can Humane  Association,”  at  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  a paper  entitled  “ The 
Power  of  the  Public  Schools  f which  was  widely  published. 

1886. 

During  January,  February,  March,  April,  May,  and  to  June  23d, 
I continued  my  one  hour  addresses  before  the  Boston  schools,  the 
whole  occupying  me  some  hours  of  sixty-one  day^.  I also  wrote  va- 
rious articles  relating  to  our  work,  some  of  which  appeared,  I believe, 
in  all  Boston  daily  papers. 

On  Sunday,  January  17th,  I addressed  a union  meeting  of  churches 
in  the  City  Hall,  Dover,  New  Hampshire.  About  fifteen  hundred 
were  present,  and  as  many  more,  it  was  estimated,  failed  to  get  in. 
I also  brought  before  the  Massachusetts  Legislature  a petition  from 
our  Society  for  a law  making  it  the  duty  of  all  teachers  of  public 
schools  in  the  State  to  teach  kindness  to  the  lower  animals.  In  aid 
of  this  petition  I addressed  the  Episcopal,  Congregationalist,  Uni- 
tarian, and  Baptist,  and  by  letters  the  Methodist  and  Universalist 
clergy,  and  obtained  from  all  resolutions  and  petitions  asking  the 
Legislature  to  enact  the  law.  I also  addressed  the  “ Massachusetts 
Horticultural  Society, : ” and  the  Boston  weekly  meeting  of  farmers^ 


89 


A UT0B10GRA  PHICAL  SKETCHES. 

obtaining  similar  resolutions.  I obtained  letters  to  the  same  effect 
from  our  Roman  Catholic  Archbishop  Williams  and  various  promi- 
nent citizens,  and  had  several  hearings  at  the  State  House,  the.  re- 
sult being  a letter  from  the  Secretary  of  our  State  Board  of  Educa- 
tion to  every  public  school  teacher  in  the  State,  informing  them  that 
the  laws  of  Massachusetts  made  it  their  duty  to  teach  kindness  to  the 
lower  animals. 

The  exposures  incident  to  my  sixty-one  .days5  addresses  to  the 
Boston  public  schools  brought  on  bronchitis,  which  resulted  in 
spasmodic  asthma,  with  which  I have  suffered  ever  since. 

Hoping  for  relief,  from  Jjily  19th  to  October  7th  I took  a trip  to 
Dakota,  giving,  on  my  way,  an  address  at  Duluth.  At  Eargo 
(where  I had  the  pleasure  of  helping  form  the  “ North  Dakota 
Humane  Society  ” ) I addressed  a union  meeting  of  churches, 
Sunday  and  the  High  and  Grammar  schools.  I also  addressed  the 
schools  at  Valley  City,  a union  meeting  of  churches  at  Jamestown 
on  Sunday,  and  a meeting  of  citizens  at  Grand  Rapids. 

In  Minneapolis,  on  my  return,  I addressed  the  High  School,  the 
faculty  and  students  of  the  Minnesota  State  University,  the  Min- 
nesota Congregational  Club,  and  a large  audience  Sunday  evening 
in  the  Church  of  the  Redeemer.  At  Ann  Arbor,  Michigan,  I 
addressed,  Sunday  evening,  a large  audience  of  university  students 
and  others.  In  November  I had  our  Society  petition  Congress  for 
a law  to  protect  dumb  animals  from  cruelty  in  United  States  Terri- 
tories, and  through  General  Collins,  M.  C.  from  Boston,  presented 
a bill  for  a law  which  the  Judiciary  Committee  unanimously  re- 
ported for  enactment.  In  November  and  December  I wrote  vari- 
ous articles  upon  otfr  humane  work  for  the  “ Swiss  Cross ” and 
other  papers,  and  caused  about  seventy  thousand  copies  of  our 
humane  publications  to  be  sent  to  all  clergy,  lawyers,  school  com- 
mittees, superintendents,  and  teachers  of  public  schools  in  Massa- 
chusetts. I also  succeeded  in  getting  643  of  the  Boston  police  to 
become  branch  members  of  our  society.  During  the  summer  I 
caused  about  eight  thousand  copies  of  our  publications  to  be  sent  to 
the  National  Convention  of*  Teachers  at  Topeka,  Kansas  ; about 
four  thousand  to  the  National  Convention  of  Teachers  at  Bar 
Harbor,  Maine  ; and  one  thousand  to  the  Teachers’  Territorial  Con- 
vention at  Valley  City,  Dakota. 

During  the  year,  as  heretofore  (except  while  on  my  Western  trip), 
I edited  “ Our  Dumb  Animals,”  and,  by  correspondence,  aided  in 
forming  several  hundreds  of  new  “ Bands  of  Mercy”  in  the  various 


so 


AUTOBIOGRAPIUCAL  SKETCHES. 


States  and  Territories.  In  some  of  my  letters  which  appeared  this 
year  in  Boston  daily  papers,  the  following  subjects  were  treated  : 
check-reins , docking , sparrows , keeping  blankets  on  horses  cold  days , 
strikes , the  Indians. 

1887. 

In  January  I prepared  with  great  care  eight  humane  leaflets, 
containing  one  hundred  carefully  selected  stories,  poems,  etc. 
About  sixty  thousand  .of  these,  by  unanimous  vote  of  the  Boston 
School  Committee,  were  gratuitously  distributed  in  the  Boston 
public  schools,  and  several  hundreds  of  thousands  have  been  dis- 
tributed elsewhere. 

In  February  I prepared  an  eight-page  pamphlet  entitled  “ Con- 
densed Information”  telling  how  to  form  societies  for  the  pre- 
vention of  cruelty  to  animals  and  “ Bands  of  Mercy,”  what  to  do 
and  how  to  do  it,  etc.,  etc.  About  twenty  thousand  copies  of  this 
pamphlet  have  been  distributed  during  the  year. 

During  the  summer  I was  corresponding  with  Frances  E.  Willard, 
president  and  the  leader  of  the  “ Woman's  Christian  Temperance 
Union,”  to  endeavor  to  have  them  adopt  in  all  their  juvenile  tem- 
perance organizations  in  the  United  States  our  “ Bands  of  Mercy.” 
I was  invited  to  address  their  National  Convention,  at  Nashville, 
Tennessee,  but,  finding  I could  not  go,  sent  to  the  convention  four 
thousand  copies  of  the  address  I had  prepared,  and  various  other 
humane  publications.  The  convention  advised  that  “ Bands  of 
Mercy  ” be  formed  in  all  their  juvenile  organizations,  and  many 
have  been  already  formed.  I also  petitioned  the  convention  to 
have  stricken  out  of  temperance  school  books  all  suggestions  of 
experiments  on  living  animals.  It  was  decided  that  in  future 
editions  all  such  suggestions  should  be  omitted. 

During  the  entire  year  I edited  “ Our  Dumb  Animals ,”  corre- 
sponded with  various  eminent  writers  and  speakers,  and  thousands 
of  persons  interested  in  forming  u Bands  of  Mercy”  and  other 
societies  and  humane  work. 

In  July  I caused  a hundred  and  ten  thousand  copies  of  our 
humane  publications  to  be  distributed  at  the  great  “ National 
Teachers’  Convention”  at  Chicago,  and  about  twelve  thousand  at 
the  smaller  “ National  Convention  ” at  Burlington,  Vermont.  I 
also  caused  “ Our  Dumb  Animals  ” to  be  sent  during  a considerable 
portion  of  the  year  to  upwards  of  five  thousand  editors,  including 
all  in  Southern  States  and  all  west  of  the  Mississippi  River,  also 
occasionally  to  all  Massachusetts  clergy  (Protestant  and  Roman 


A U TO  BIOGRAPHIC  A L SKETCHES. 


91 

Catholic)  and  all  Massachusetts  lawyers,  teachers,  school  com- 
mittees, etc.,  and  caused  bound  volumes  of  “ Our  Dumb  Animals  ” to 
be  placed  in  the  reading-rooms  of  leading  mountain,  seashore,  and 
other  hotels,  also  on  steamboats,  also  in  libraries  and  other  read- 
ing-rooms. 

I gave  quite  a number  of  addresses  during  the  year,  before 
Boston  and  Newton  schools,  and,  through  the  influence  of  Miss 
Sarah  J.  Eddy,  of  Providence,  R.  I.,  before  the  Providence  High 
School  and  a union  meeting  of  the  higher  classes  of  all  the  Provi- 
dence Grammar  Schools,  in  the  Opera  House,  — also  before  temper-, 
ance  organizations,  — the  “Boston  Coachmen’s  Association,”  — tlie ■ 
State  Convention  of  the  “Woman’s  Christian  Temperance  Union,” 
— the  “ Boston  Primary  Sunday  School  Teachers’  Association,”  — 
a large  Boston  convention  of  about  two  thousand  clergymen  and 
Sunday-school  workers,  and  several  others. 

I have  written  during  the  year  considerably  for  the  press,  and 
given,  as  in  past  years,  my  time,  thoughts,  and  labor  to  our  humane 
work  both  in  and  outside  the  State. 

The  various  plans  adopted  are  too  numerous  for  this  volume,  but 
are  found  mostly  in  “ Our  Dumb  Animals .” 

1888. 

In  addition  to  my  customary  duties  as  president,  and  editing 
“ Our  Dumb  Animals ,”  and  corresponding  with  the  “ Bands  of 
Mercy ” (new  and  old)  and  other  societies  and  correspondents,  I 
have,  during  this  year,  sent  out  over  the  country  several  hundreds 
of  thousands  of  copies  of  our  humane  publications,  — arranged  with 
“ The  American  Teacher ” to  send  them  to  about  forty  thousand 
teachers,  and  with  the  “ Golden  Rule  ” to  send  them  to  all  the 
“ Societies  of  Christian  Endeavor.”  I have  also  offered  to  all 
college  students  in  the  United  States  a prize  of  one  hundred  dollars 
for  the  best  essay  on  “ The  Effect  of  Humane  Education  on  the 
Prevention  of  Crime,”  — written  all  college  presidents  on  the 
subject,  and  sent  bound  volumes  of  our  publications  to  all  college 
libraries,  and  some  seventy  thousand  copies  of  four  large  printed 
pages  of  “ Condensed  Information  ” to  college  students ; also  put 
all  college  papers  and  libraries,  and  many  editors,  reporters,  and 
writers  on  the  free  list  of  “ Our  Dumb  Animals.”  During  a large 
portion  of  the  year  I have  sent  “ Our  Dumb  Animals  ” to  from 
seventy-five  hundred  to  eight  thousand  editors,  including  all  in  the 
Southern  States  and  west  of  the  Mississippi  River,  — also  to 
Massachusetts  clergy  and  lawyers,  and  a part  of  the  time  to  Massa- 


92  A UT0B10G11APHICAL  SKETCHES. 

chusetts  doctors,  and  have  sent  bound  volumes  to  the  Boston  public 
schools  and  to  many  libraries  and  reading-rooms. 

I have  had  over  six  hundred  of  the  Boston  police  again  made 
branch  members  of  our  Massachusetts  Society  P.  C.  A.,  caused 
members  of  the  “ Coachmen's  Benevolent  Association  " to  be 
supplied  with  our  papers  without  charge,  erected  the  Dorothea  L. 
Dix  fountain  in  Custom-house  Square,  arranged  to  have  thirty-six: 
of  our  Boston  fountains  kept  running  all  winter,  had  several  hear- 
ings at  the  State  House  in  relation  to  improved  laws  against 
glanders  and  dog  and  cock  fighting,  contracted  for  the  construction 
of  an  ambulance  for  removing  disabled  animals,  taken  measures  to* 
secure  the  blanketing  of  horses  in  our  streets  on  cold  days,  assisted 
“ The  Woman's  Christian  Temperance  Union  " in  preparing  lessons 
on  kindness  for  their  juvenile  organizations,  and  written  various 
articles  for  the  press  on  “ Saving  Life  in  Blizzards,”  and  other 
humane  matters.  All  these  have  involved  my  receiving  and 
answering,  personally  or  otherwise,  several  thousands  of  letters. 
During  the  year  I have  aided  in  forming  over  five  hundred  new 
“ Bands  of  Mercy." 

1889. 

In  addition  to  usual  duties  as  President,  and  as  editor  of  “ Our 
Dumb  Animals ,"  I have,  during  this  year  — 

(1.)  Obtained  the  ambulance  contracted  for  last  year,  and  which, 
was  paid  for  by  Mrs.  Wm.  Appleton,  of  Boston. 

(2.)  Erected  in  memory  of  Mrs.  Ellen  M.  Gifford  another  drink- 
ing fountain  for  animals,  similar  to  that  erected  by  the  Society  last 
year  in  Custom-house  Square,  at  which,  on  one  of  the  coldest  days 
of  last  winter,  five  hundred  and  eighty-three  horses  drank. 

(3.)  Obtained  from  the  Massachusetts  Legislature  the  first 
special  law  in  the  world  to  punish  the  torture  of  horses  by  docking. 

(4.)  Obtained  from  the  Massachusetts  Legislature  power  for 
“ The  Massachusetts  Society  for  the  Prevention  of  Cruelty  to 
Animals"  to  hold  for  the  future  protection  of  animals  a largely 
increased  amount  of  property  free  from  taxation,  viz.,  half  a million 
dollars. 

(5.)  Obtained  a unanimous  vote  of  the  Boston  School  Com- 
mittee authorizing  us  to  offer  to  the  public  schools  of  Boston 
prizes  for  the  encouragement  of  kindness.  For  this  was  subse- 
quently substituted  the  having  some  thirty-six  thousand  compositions 
written. 

(6.)  Obtained  the  kind  approval  of  the  Most  Reverend  Arch- 


A UTO BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


93 


bishop  to  offer  similar  prizes  to  the  pupils  in  all  the  schoolrooms 
of  the  Boston  Homan  Catholic  schools. 

(7.)  Had  a “ Band  of  Mercy  ” formed,  composed  of  Boston 
coachmen,  numbering  over  four  hundred  and  fifty  members. 

(8.)  Aided  in  forming  nearly  one  thousand  new  branches  of  our 
<( Parent  Band  of  Mercy  ” all  over  the  United  States  and  Terri- 
tories, and  in  British  North  America,  carrying  the  number  formed 
to  over  seven  thousand. 

(9.)  Offered  in  behalf  of  “ The  American  Humane  Education 
Society  ” to  all  American  editors  a prize  of  three  hundred  dollars  for 
the  best  essay  on  “ The  Effect  of  Humane  Education  on  the  Preven- 
tion of  Crime,”  and  supplied  them  all  with  condensed  information 
on  this  subject. 

(10.)  Sent  humane  literature  to  the  thousands  of  teachers  meet- 
ing in  our  great  annual  “National  Teachers’  Conventions.” 

(11.)  Sent  u Our  Dumb  Animals  ” a large  portion  of  the  year  to 
the  editors  of  every  newspaper  and  magazine  on  this  continent  north 
of  Mexico. 

(12.)  Offered  prizes  for  the  encouragement  of  kindness  to  one 
thousand  schools  and  Sunday  schools. 

(13.)  Offered  “ Our  Dumb  Animals  ” at  one-half  its  cost  to  five 
thousand  schools  and  Sunday  schools  in  Massachusetts,  and  to  ten 
thousand  schools  and  Sunday  schools  outside  the  State. 

(14.)  Obtained  from  the  Massachusetts  Legislature  the  incorpo- 
Tation  of  our  “ American  Humane  Education  Society ,”  with  power 
to  hold  half  a million  of  dollars  free  from  taxation,  and  enabling  it 
to  begin  its  great  work  with  a live  missionary  at  the  West,  and  a 
payment  in  one  month  alone  of  five  hundred  dollars  for  humane 
literature  sent  out  over  the  country. 

To  this  Society  I gave  lands  estimated  to  be  worth  about  three 
thousand  dollars. 

These  are  some  of  the  things  which  kind  Providence  has  given 
me  the  power  to  accomplish  during  the  past  year,  and  for  all  of 
which  I should  be  grateful. 

1890. 

The  year  1890  has  been  a memorable  one.  First,  because  lega- 
cies to  our  “ Massachusetts  Society  for  the  Prevention  of  Cruelty  to 
Animals  ” have  enabled  me  to  largely  increase  the  work  of  that 
Society. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  year  I had  perhaps  the  most  severe  of 
the  many  battles  I have  had  at  the  State  House,  to  prevent  the 


94 


A U TOB 1 0 Gli  API!  1C  A L SKETCHES. 


enactment  of  a law  requiring  all  the  dogs  of  the  State  to  be  muz- 
zled,— the  result  being  in  our  favor.  Extra  officers  have  been  em- 
ployed,— our  monthly  paper  has  been  sent  regularly  to  all  the 
clergy,  lawyers,  and  physicians  of  the  State,  and  many  thousands 
of  copies  to  the  annual  meetings  of  the  National  and  other  teachers> 
conventions,  — forty  thousand  copies  of  my  lecture  to  the  Boston 
public  schools  have  been  printed  and  widely  circulated  for  use  in 
public  schools  elsewhere,  — twenty  thousand  copies  of  a check-rein 
card  have  been  printed  and  widely  circulated. 

But  more  largely  has  it  been  memorable  for  work  through  our 
“ American  Humane  Education  Society ,”  — the  success  of  its  two 
missionaries  whom  I have  employed  in  organizing  numerous  humane 
societies  and  “ Bands  of  Mercy  ” in  Western  States,  — the  very 
large  amount  of  humane  literature  it  has  distributed,  including  the 
sending  “ Our  Dumb  Animals  ” each  month  to  all  the  editors  of 
America  north  of  Mexico,  — and  the  large  increase  of  our  “ Bands 
of  Mercy,”  now  numbering  over  nine  thousand  bands.  But  prin- 
cipally has  it  been  memorable  for  wonderful  success  in  the  publica- 
tion and  distribution  of  “ Black  Beauty ,”  the  best  book  ever  written 
teaching  kindness  to  the  horse. 

About  the  first  of  February  I received  from  Miss  Georgiana  Ken- 
dall, of  New  York  City,  a copy  of  this  book  without  comment.  It 
had  been  in  print  in  England  about  thirteen  years,  but  I had  never 
seen  or  heard  of  it.  I read  it  through,  and  immediately  called 
upon  my  printers  for  estimates  of  its  cost,  and  upon  our  friends, 
through  “ Our  Dumb  Animals ,”  for  contributions  to  aid  its  circula- 
tion. The  result  cannot  perhaps  be  better  told  than  in  the  follow- 
ing, which  constitutes  the  introductory  chapter  to  all  the  editions 
since  printed : — 


THE  “ UNCLE  TOM’S  CABIN”  OF 
THE  HORSE. 

For  more  than  twenty  years 
this  thought  has  been  upon  my 
mind. 

Somebody  must  write  a book 
which  shall  be  as  widely  read  as 
“ Uncle  Tom’s  Cabin,”  and  shall 
have  as  widespread  and  powerful 
influence  in  abolishing  cruelty  to 
horses  as  “ Uncle  Tom’s  Cabin” 


had  on  the  abolition  of  human, 
slavery. 

Many  times,  by  letter  and  word 
of  mouth,  I have  called  the  at- 
tention of  American  writers  to 
this  matter  and  asked  them  to 
undertake  it. 

At  last  the  book  has  come  to 
me  — not  from  America,  but  from 
England,  where  already  over 
ninety  thousand  copies  have  been 
sold. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


95 


It  was  written  by  a woman  — 
Anna  Sewell. 

It  is  the  autobiography  of  an 
English  horse,  telling  of  kind 
masters  and  cruel  — of  happiness 
and  of  suffering.  I am  glad  to 
say  that  happiness  predominates 
and  finally  triumphs. 

I have  read  each  of  its  two 
hundred  and  thirty-eight  beauti- 
fully printed  pages , / 'rom  its  cheer- 
ful beginning  to  its  happy  end , 
and  then  called  in  the  printers. 

Through  the  kind  gifts  of 
friends  I am  enabled  to  pay  $265 
for  having  it  electrotyped , and 
through  the  kindness  of  another 
friend  am  enabled  to  print  a first 
edition  of  ten  thousand , at  the 
marvellously  low  price  of  twelve 
cents  each  — to  which  must  be 
added,  when  sent  by  mail,  eight 
cents  for  postage,  &c. 

As  I have  said,  over  ninety 
thousand  copies  have  been  already 
sold  in  England. 

I want  to  print  immediately  a 
hundred  thousand  copies  here. 

I want  the  power  to  give  away 
thousands  of  these  to  drivers  of 
horses  — and  in  public  schools  — 
and  elsewhere. 

I want  to  send  a copy,  post- 
paid, to  the  editors  of  each  of 
about  thirteen  thousand  Ameri- 
can newspapers  and  magazines. 


I would  be  glad  to  have  each 
reader  of  this  paper,  who  has  ever 
loved  or  cared  for  a horse , send 
me  as  large  a check  as  he  or  she 
can  afford,  to  be  used  in  the  dis- 
tribution of  this  book. 

Every  such  check  will  be  ac- 
knowledged in  “ Our  Dumb  Ani- 
mals ” and  at  once  passed  into 
the  treasury  of  our  “ American 
Humane  Education  Society ,”  and 
be  promptly  used  for  the  purpose 
for  which  it  is  sent. 

I would  be  glad,  if  I had  the 
means,  to  put  a copy  of  it  in 
every  home  in  America , for  I am 
sure  there  has  never  been  a book 
printed  in  any  language  the  read- 
ing of  which  will  be  more  likely 
to  inspire  love  and  kind  care  for 
these  dumb  servants  and  friends 
who  toil  and  die  in  our  service. 
I hope  to  live  long  enough  to 
print  and  distribute  a million 
copies.  It  will  be  ready  for  de- 
livery about  the  middle  of  March. 

THE  TITLE  OF  THE  BOOK 
IS  “BLACK  BEAUTY,  — HIS 
GBOOMS  AND  COMPAN- 
IONS.” 

Boston,  Feb.  12,  1890. 

Geo.  T.  Angell, 
President  of  the  American  Humane 
Education  Society , the  Massachusetts 
Society  for  the  Prevention  of  Cruelty 
to  Animals,  and  the  Parent  American 
Band  of  Mercy , 19  Milk  St.,  Boston. 


As  soon  as  it  appeared  I ordered  some  hundreds  of  copies  sent  to 
friends  of  our  cause,  and  the  result  of  my  introductory  chapter  was 
soon  seen  in  checks  sent  me  by  Mrs.  Wm.  Appleton  and  other 
good  friends,  and  the  following  letter,  which  came  in  my  morning’s 
mail  on  “ Fast  Day  : ” — 


A UTOBIOGRAPUICA  L SKETCHES. 


96 

Concord,  Mass.,  April  2,  1890. 

Mv  Dear  Mr.  Angell  : 

I wish  to  present  to  “ The  American  Humane  Education  Society  ” five  thou- 
sand dollars,  in  memory  of  my  sister,  Cordelia  Kennedy  Sada. 

In  doing  this  I give  expression  to  her  unstinted  sympathy  and  admiration  for 
your  noble  work  — as  well  as  my  own.  I enclose  check  for  five  thousand 
dollars. 

Very  sincerely  yours, 

Louise  Kennedy. 

To  Geo.  T.  Angell,  Esq. 

Probably  not  less  than  a thousand  American  papers,  including 
those  of  highest  literary  standing  and  largest  circulation,  have  pub- 
lished articles  in  its  praise. 

I remember  to  have  seen  but  one  criticism,  and  to  that  I made  the 
following  answer : 


BLACK  BEAUTY  ATTACKED. 


We  have  received  from  a leading  Bos- 
ton paper  a long  attack  on  “Black 
Beauty.” 

The  attack  is  that  our  “ American 
Humane  Education  Society  ” sells  this 
beautifully  printed,  book  of  2(50  pages 
for  one  quarter  of  the  price  it  ought  to 
bring , and  that  the  English  author  gets 
nothing. 

W e answer  : — 

(1)  The  author  died  unmarried 
shortly  after  the  publication  of  the 
book. 

(2)  Her  mother,  a widow,  died  soon 
after. 

(3)  The  English  publisher  paid  Miss 
Sewell  just  twenty  pounds  for  the  book. 
By  the  payment  of  twenty  pounds  it 
became  his  property,  and  no  one  but 
the  English  publisher  gets  a sixpence 
from  the  profits. 

(4)  He  has  already  sold  103,000 
copies  in  England. 

(5)  He  will  receive  thousands  of 
dollars  from  its  increased  sale  in  Great 
Britain,  Upper  and  Lower  Canada,  and 
other  British  provinces,  which  he  would 
not  have  received  but  for  its  immense 
advertisement  and  sale  in  this  coun- 
try. 

(6)  We  much  regret  that  the  Eng- 
lish copyright  and  price  limit  its  distri- 
bution and  usefulness  in  Great  Britain. 

(7)  As  there  is  no  American  copy- 
right on  this  book,  we  must  undersell 
every  other  publisher,  or  be  undersold 


and  driven  out  of  the  market,  and  in 
place  of  what  we  publish  concerning 
the  objects  and  importance  of  our  “ Hu- 
mane Education  Society ,”  will  appear 
only  the  business  advertisements  of  the 
publisher. 

We  have  established  here,  on  this 
American  continent,  “ The  American 
Humane  Education  Society  ” — the 
first  Society  of  its  kind  in  the  vjorld. 

No  Society  in  the  world  has  been  or- 
ganized with  greater  care  or  more  safe- 
guards against  the  foolish  expenditure 
of  money. 

It  has  been  authorized  by  the  Legis- 
lature of  Massachusetts  to  hold  half  a 
million  dollars  free  from  taxation. 

It  wants  to  send  its  missionaries  into 
every  State  and  Territory. 

It  wants  to  form  powerful  “ Humane 
Societies’1'1  in  every  State  and  Terri- 
tory. 

It  wants  to  form  half  a million  of 
its  u Bands  of  Mercy'''1  in  American 
schools  and  Sunday  schools,  and  sup- 
ply them  gratuitously,  or  at  bare  cost , 
with  the  choicest  humane  literature. 

To  do  this  it  must  attract  the  atten- 
tion and  approval  of  the  American 
people. 

To  do  this  it  wants  to  flood  this  whole 
country  (1st)  with  “ Black  Beauty 
and  (2nd)  with  other  publications  of  a 
similar  kind. 

To  do  this  it  must  undersell  — even 
at  a loss  of  thousands  of  dollars  — all 


A U TO B IOGRAPHLCA  L SKETCHES. 


97 


other  publishers,  who  would  simply  ad- 
vertise their  personal  business. 

Cruelty  in  transportation  of  animals 
on  the  land,  by  which  hundreds  of  thou- 
sands die  annually. 

Cruelty  in  transportation  of  animals 
on  the  ocean. 

Cruelty  in  slaughter-houses,  where 
millions  die  annually  with  great  and 
unnecessary  suffering. 

Cruelty  on  the  plains , where  hun- 
dreds of  thousands  die  in  winter,  and 
sometimes  in  summer,  of  slow  starva- 
tion. 

A thousand  forms  of  cruelty  to  the 
horse,  — both  in  peace  and  war,  — and 
to  other  domestic  animals. 

Cruelty  in  the  seal  fisheries. 

Cruelty  to  harmless  and  other  wild 
animals. 

Cruelty  in  the  killing  of  hundreds  of 
thousands  of  useful  and  harmless  birds 
— many  of  them  mother  birds  with  their 
nests  full  of  young. 


Cruelty  of  unnecessary  vivisection. 

All  these  are  but  fractions  of  a great 
whole,  which  can  be  effectively  reached 
by  no  law  or  power  [short  of  the  Al- 
mighty] except  by  the  power  of  humane 
education. 

Upon  the  success  of  “ The  American 
Humane  Education  Society  ” [the  first 
of  its  kind  in  the  world],  and  similar 
societies  which  may  follow,  it,  is  to  de- 
pend, not  only  the  protection  of  the 
lower  races,  but  the  elevation  of  the 
higher , — the  substitution  of  ballots  for 
bullets , — the  prevention  of  crimes  of 
violence,  — the  dawning  of  the  Millen- 
nium. 

Under  Divine  Providence,  the  send- 
ing of  this  book,  u Black  Beauty,'1'1  into 
every  American  home  may  be  — as 
was  the  publication  of  “ Uncle  Tom’s 
Cabin” — an  important  step  in  the 
progress,  not  only  of  American,  but  the 
World's,  humanity  and  civilization. 

Geo.  T.  Angell. 


No  better  evidence  can  be  given  of  the  remarkable  fascination  of 
this  book  than  that  I have  found  it  necessary  to  have  five  complete 
sets  of  type,  that  I have  already  printed  over  two  hundred  and  twenty- 
six  thousand  copies , and  a,m  now  having  it  translated  into  various 
foreign  languages  to  be  read  by  continental  European  nations,  and 
those  American  and  South  American  nations  by  whom  those 
languages  are  spoken. 

To  obtain  light,  promote  discussion,  and  lead  to  wise  and  humane 
action,  I have  offered  in  behalf  of  our  “ American  Humane  Educa- 
tion Society”  prizes  to  the  amount  of  five  hundred  dollars  for  the 
best  essays  on  vivisection , and  another  five  hundred  dollars  for  the 
most  useful  letters  and  essays  in  relation  to  cattle  transportation , 
slaughtering , the  treatment  of  cattle  on  our  Western , Northwestern , 
and  Southwestern  plains , and  the  effects  of  cruelties  to  animals  on 
public  health. 

During  this  year  I have  probably  received  over  ten  thousand 
letters , and  have  devoted  much  time  to  editing,  with  great  care, 
u Our  Dumb  Animals and  examining  the  many  thousands  of  ex- 
change papers,  books,  and  magazines  relating  to  our  work,  which 
have  come  (sometimes  to  the  number  of  over  a hundred  in  a single 
•day)  to  my  table. 

In  January  of  this  year  I succeeded  in  having  some  thirty-six 
thousand  compositions  written  on  kindness  to  animals  by  the 
pupils  of  the  Boston  Grammar  schools. 


98 


AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


My  smallest  monthly  issue  of  u Our  Dumb  Animals  ” during  the 
year  has  been  36,000,  and  the  largest  75,000. 

We  have  formed  during  the  year  nearly  two  thousand  new 
“ Bands  of  Mercy”  making  a total  of  nine  thousand  one  hundred 
and  sixteen  Bands. 

Of  course  much  of  this  work  has  depended  for  its  success  upon 
the  generous  gifts  of  numerous  friends  to  our  “ American  Humane 
Education  Society  ” and  “ Massachusetts  Society  for  the  Prevention  of 
Cruelty  to  Animals,”  in  addition  to  which  thousands  of  dollars  have 
been  placed  in  my  hands  with  unlimited  discretion  to  use  in  what- 
ever way  might  seem  to  me  best. 

To  those  who  have  so  generously  contributed,  and  more  than  all 
to  the  Divine  Providence  which  has  inspired,  governed,  and  directed, 
should  all  who  are  interested  in  our  work,  including  “ the  birds  of 
the  air,”  and  “ the  beasts  of  the  field,”  and  “ the  cattle  on  a thousand 
hills,”  be  ever  grateful. 

1891. 

This  year  has  been  one  of  intense  work  and  most  gratifying 
success,  with  an  enormous  correspondence,  an  enormous  receipt 
of  papers  and  magazines  from  the  about  twenty  thousand  editors 
to  whom  “ Our  Dumb  Animals  ” has  been  regularly  sent  by  our 
“ American  Humane  Education  Society,”  very  large  numbers  of  them 
containing  editorials  and  articles  taken  from  ours,  and  editorials 
in  commendation  of,  and  relating  to,  our  humane  work. 

Our  educational  missionaries  have  been  active  in  founding  u Hu- 
mane Societies  ” and  “ Bands  of  Mercy.” 

Our  English  editions  of  “ Black  Beauty  ” have  gone  up  from 
216,000  on  January  1st  to  about  600,000;  and  from  our  success 
other  publishers  have  been  induced  to  print  and  circulate  in  adver- 
tising editions  probably  not  less  than  400,000  copies  more,  making 
a total  of  something  like  a million  copies,  'probably  by  far  the  largest 
number  ever  issued  of  any  book  in  the  world  in  the  same  length  of  time 
from  publication.  Acting  upon  our  suggestion,  a memorial  fountain 
has  been  erected  in  honor  of  its  author  Anna  Sewell,  soon,  we  doubt 
not,  to  be  followed  by  others.  Our  $500  prize  essays  on  vivisec- 
tion I have  sent  already  to  nearly  3,000  physicians  and  to  the 
presidents  of  all  our  American  colleges. 

Our  German  and  Italian  editions  of  “ Black  Beauty  ” are  printed, 
and  our  Spanish  and  others  are  soon  to  follow. 

Our  u Bands  of  Mercy”  have  reached  the  number  of  11,290  in  all 
our  States  and  Territories  except  Alaska,  and  in  foreign  countries. 


A UTO  BlOGIiA  PII  1C  A L SKETCHES. 


99 


Our  publications  have  not  only  been  sent  over  this  country,  but 
widely  over  the  world , to  Mexico,  Brazil,  Europe,  Persia,  China T 
Japan,  Syria,  and  have  been  introduced  into  the  public  schools  of 
places  as  far  distant  as  New  Zealand.  The  readers  of  “ Our  Dumb 
Animals  ” know  the  grand  work  they  have  already  done  and  are  now- 
doing,  and  the  immense  gratuitous  circulation  we  have  given  them 
in  our  own  country  and  elsewhere. 

Our  prosecuting  department  was  never  more  efficient  or  better 
equipped. 

I have  recently  offered,  in  behalf  of  our  “ American  Humane 
Education  Society ,”  a prize  of  one  thousand  dollars  for  the  best 
equestrian  drama  of  “ Black  Beauty  and  this  offer  is  being  highly 
commended  by  our  leading  newspapers,  and  will,  I am  sure,  result 
in  great  good. 

On  this  October  30th  I am  notified  by  letter  that  the  reading  of 
“ Our  Dumb  Animals  ''  in  Holland  has  led  to  a Dutch  edition  of 
“Black  Beauty ” and  the  establishing  of  the  “Dutch  Band  of 
Mercy.” 

Also  comes  a letter  from  Beirut,  Syria,  telling  me  that  “Black 
Beauty  ” is  now  being  translated  there  into  the  Arabic  languageT 
and  asking  my  help  to  secure  a cheap  edition  to  be  distributed 
gratuitously  in  Syria,  Palestine,  and  Egypt , where  terrible  cruelty 
is  inflicted  on  dumb  animals. 

ONE  HUNDRED  AND  SEVENTEEN  MILLIONS  AND  EIGHTY 
THOUSAND  PAGES. 

A kind  invitation  received  November  1st  from  Frances  E.  Wil- 
lard, to  attend  the  World's  Congress  of  the  “ Woman's  Christian 
Temperance  Union,”  to  be  held  in  Boston  from  November  13th  to 
18th,  and  which  contains  the  statement  that  this  powerful  organ- 
ization of  two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  women  had  printed  in  the 
past  year  over  a hundred  millions  of  pages  of  temperance  literature , 
led  me  to  investigate  and  find  that  our  “ American  Humane  Educa- 
tion Society ,”  from  November  1st,  1890,  to  November  1st,  1891,, 
printed  about  one  hundred  and  nine  millions  and  two  hundred  and. 
eighty  thousand  pages  of  humane  literature,  and  had  then  printing1 
about  eight  hundred  thousand  pages  more. 

During  the  same  time  our  “Massachusetts  Society  for  the  Preven- 
tion of  Cruelty  to  Animals  ” printed  about  seven  millions  of  pages y 
making  a total  of  about  one  hundred  and  seventeen  millions  and 
eighty  thousand  ptages  of  humane  literature  printed  by  our  two 
Societies  in  one  year. 


100 


AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


My  course  in  offering  prizes  for  the  best  essays  on  both  sides  of 
the  vivisection  question  at  first  brought  down  upon  me  the  wrath 
of  the  “ Zoophilist ,”  organ  of  the  British  anti-vivisection  societies, 
which  pronounced  my  conduct  monstrous. 

I answered  in  August  “ Our  Dumb  Animals  ” as  follows  : — 

OUR  ANTI-VI  VISECTION  FRIENDS. 

Our  anti-vivisection  friend  in  London,  editor  of  the  British  Anti- 
vivisection Society’s  organ,  “ The  Zoophilist,”  states  that  we  have 
paid  $250  for  the  best  essay  favoring  vivisection,  and,  omitting  to 
■state  that  we  also  paid  a similar  sum  of  $250  for  the  best  essay 
against  vivisection,  pronounces  our  conduct  “ monstrous.” 

And  he,  or  she,  or  some  other  good  anti-vivisection  friend,  has 
been  kindly  sending  marked  copies  of  the  paper  containing  this 
statement  — we  will  presume  with  no  bad  motive  — to  some  of  the 
best  friends  of  our  “ American  Humane  Education  Society.” 

We. are  rather  glad  of  it,  because  it  gives  us  a good  opportunity 
for  saying  what  has  been  for  some  time  on  our  mind,  namely,  that 
we  are  afraid  our  anti-vivisection  friends,  in  their  zeal  to  relieve  the 
sufferings  of  dumb  animals,  have  fallen  into  the  same  error  which, 
in  bygone  ages,  led  the  Catholic  to  deal  unwisely  with  the  Protes- 
tant, the  Protestant  with  the  Puritan,  and  the  Puritan  in  his  turn 
with  the  Baptist  and  the  Quaker. 

There  is  a world  of  wisdom  in  the  old  fable  in  which  the  Wind 
and  the  Sun  undertook  to  make  a traveller  throw  off  his  cloak. 

While  the  Wind,  with  its  fiercest  and  chilliest  blasts,  only  caused 
the  traveller  to  wrap  his  cloak  more  closely  around  him,  the  Sun 
soon  won  the  victory. 

Our  anti-vivisection  friends  have  now  been  at  work  in  Europe 
some  fifteen  years,  and  in  America  some  seven.  What  have  they 
accomplished  ? 

In  Continental  Europe  there  has  been  an  enormous  increase  of  vivi- 
section, and,  so  far  as  we  can  learn,  not  a single  case  ever  prevented. 

In  America  the  same. 

In  England,  where  some  laws  have  been  enacted,  an  enormous  in- 
crease of  vivisection. 

When,  in  our  good  city  of  Boston,  it  is  impossible,  by  the  payment 
of  $1000,  to  obtain  evidence  to  prove  a single  case  of  the  docking 
which  is  still  practised  ( though , we  are  glad  to  say , not  by  our  best 
citizens),  how  can  humane  societies  expect  to  stop  medical  students, 
instructed  to  believe  they  are  acting  in  the  interests  of  medical 
progress,  from  performing  vivisections  ? — or  obtain  any  practical 


A UTOBIOGliA  PI11CAL  SKETCHES. 


101 


limitations  of  . them,  unless  they  can  win  the  approval  and  assistance 
of  the  best  men  of  the  medical  profession? 

And  is  there  not  great  danger  that  in  anathematizing  the  profes- 
sors and  teachers  of  our  medical  schools,  and  the  men  who  largely 
lead  that  profession,  they  may  arouse  antagonisms  which  will  da 
more  harm  than  good  ? 

Is  it  not  possible  that  our  anti-vivisection  friends,  in  their  zeal  to- 
prevent  suffering,  have  already  aroused  antagonisms  which  have 
tended  to  produce  rather  than  repress  the  enormous  increase  of  this- 
practice  ? 

The  world’s  history  shows  that  very  little  can  be  gained  by  de- 
nouncing those  who,  ivithout  criminal  intent , differ  with  us  in  views 
of  right. 

Is  there  not  a better  way  ? 

We  think  there  is. 

We  believe  there  are  lots  of  good  and  humane  men  in  the  medical 
profession  who,  if  convinced , will  go  as  far  as  any  one  to  prevent 
unnecessary  cruelty. 

If  our  anti-vivisection  friends  must  regard  the  leaders  of  our 
medical  schools  as  enemies , then  let  them  — having  tried  one  method 
which  has  thus  far  resulted  in  almost  total  failure  — now  try 
another  which  is  more  in  accordance  with  the  spirit  of  “ the  Sermon, 
on  the  Mount : ” — 

“ But  I say  unto  you,  Love  your  enemies , bless  them  that  curse  youy 
do  good  to  them  that  hate  you , and  pray  for  them  which  despitefully 
use  you  and  persecute  you.” 

There  is  no  other  picture  in  the  world  which  has  so  moved  hu- 
man hearts  as  the  Crucifixion. 

There  is  no  prayer  which  has  come  down  to  us  through  the 
ages  with  greater  power  than  “ Father , forgive  them , for  they  know 
not  what  they  do.”  Geo.  T.  Angell. 

The  above  article , or  some  other  cause,  seemed  to  result  in  a change 
of  views,  as  appears  in  the  following  taken  from  the  “ Zoophilist,”  of 
September,  1891 : — 

“ It  was  certainly  a happy  idea  on  the  part  of  Mr.  Angell  to  offer 
an  equal  prize  ($250)  for  the  best  essay  on  either  side,  and  then  to 
bind  them  together  in  one  pamphlet.” 


102 


A UTOBIOGIiAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


In  September,  1891,  “ Our  Dumb  Animals ,”  I added  this  : — 

OUR  ANTI-VIVISECTION  FRIENDS. 

We  trust  that  our  anti-vivisection  friends,  in  their  zeal  to  abolish 
one  form  of  suffering,  will  not  forget  that  there  are  other  forms 
which  demand  their  sympathy. 

More  than  a thousand  millions  of  the  human  race,  in  every  gen- 
eration, pass  through  sickness  and  pain  into  the  great  unknown. 

Millions  of  them , during  every  hour  of  the  day  and  night , are  tor- 
tured to  greater  or  less  extent  with  mental  and  physical  suffering. 

War,  pestilence,  drunkenness,  and  crime  bring  agonies  which  no 
pencil  can  paint  or  pen  describe. 

The  tree  of  cruelty,  like  the  great  Banian  tree  of  .India,  has,  it 
may  be,  a thousand  trunks. 

In  the  animal  world  millions  die  of  contagious  and  other  diseases 
whiclTmedical  science  has  thus  far  failed  to  discover  any  means  of 
preventing. 

Hundreds  of  thousands  die  in  transportation  on  our  railroads  and 
ocean  steamers. 

Hundreds  of  thousands  die  of  cold  and  starvation  on  our  great 
plains. 

Millions  die  in  our  slaughter-houses  with  unnecessary  suffering  — 
often  standing  and  witnessing  the  slaughter  of  other  animals, 
knowing  as  well  as  human  beings  that  their  turn  is  coming  next. 

The  moanings  of  hundreds  of  thousands  of  cattle  are  heard  every 
spring  when  deprived  of  their  offspring. 

Millions  of  beautiful  birds  are  killed  and  wounded  to  supply 
women  with  ornaments,  and  to  gratify  those  who  find  sport  in  killing. 

To  hundreds  of  thousands  of  horses  life  is  suffering  until  death 
gives  relief 

It  is  no  fault  of  ours. 

We  are  brought  into  this  world  by  no  choice  of  our  own. 

We  must  take  it  as  we  find  it. 

But  one  thing  we  can  do,  namely,  try  to  make  it  happier  and  bet- 
ter both  for  own  generation  and  for  those  that  will  follow  us ; and 
one  thing  there  is  which  strikes  right  at  the  roots  of  all  cruelty,  and 
that  is  humane  education  — humane  education  in  all  our  schools  and 
Sunday  schools  and  homes. 

Every  humane  publication  that  our  “ American  Humane  Educa- 
tion Society  ” sends  out  helps  on  the  work. 

The  half  million  copies  of  “ Black  Beauty  ” we  have  already  sent 


A UTOBIOG  RAP  HI  CA  L SKETCHES. 


103 


out,  and  the  millions  in  various  languages  we  hope  to,  will  all  help 
on  the  work. 

The  missionaries  we  are  employing  and  the  11  Humane  Societies” 
we  are  forming  help  on  the  work. 

The  prizes  we  have  offered  to  college  students,  editors,  and  others, 
help  on  the  work. 

The  over  ten  thousand  “ Bands  of  Mercy  ” we  have  already 
formed,  and  the  hiindreds  of  thousands  we  hope  to  form,  are,  and 
will  all  be,  so  many  fires  kindled  at  the  roots  of  this  great  Banian 
tree  of  cruelty,  suffering,  and  crime.  Geo.  T.  Angell. 


(From  “ Our  Dumb  Animals,”  November,  1891.) 

HOW  THE  ELLEN  M.  GIFFORD  FOUNTAIN  CAME  TO  BE  BUILT. 

Tens  if  not  hundreds  of  thousands  of  our  Boston  citizens  have 
seen  the  drinking  fountain  for  horses  erected  by  our  Massachusetts 
Society  for  the  Prevention  of  Cruelty  to  Animals , at  the  corner  of 
Beacon  Street  and  Brookline  and  Brighton  avenues,  in  memory  of 
Ellen  M.  Gifford , of  New  Haven , Connecticut , and  comparatively 
few  have  ever  passed  it  without  seeing  thirsty  horses  standing 
around  it  drinking. 

Like  the  Dorothea  L.  Dix  fountain,  which,  in  accordance  with  the 
will  of  that  excellent  and  distinguished  woman,  I caused  to  be 
erected  in  Custom-house  Square,  it  has  proved  a gift  of  inestimable 
value  to  Boston’s  thirsty  horses. 

How  did  it  happen  to  be  erected  ? 

On  the  evening  of  May  20th,  1874, 1 had  the  pleasure  of  addressing, 
in  the  Old  State  House  at  New  Haven,  the  Connecticut  Legislature. 
Several  ladies  were  present,  and  I was  told  that  an  aged  lady 
named  Marett  had  taken  great  interest  in  our  humane  work.  The 
next  morning,  having  a little  time  before  taking  the  train  for  New 
York,  where  I was  to  address  the  “ American  Social  Science  Associ- 
ation,” I thought  I would  call  upon  this  lady.  She  was  very  glad 
to  see  me,  and  asked  me  who  paid  my  expenses.  I answered  that  I 
always  paid  my  own. 

Some  three  years  later  she  died,  and  I was  notified  that  she  had 
left  me  in  her  will  a thousand  dollars. 

With  that  thousand  dollars  I printed  seventy-six  thousand  copies 
of  u Five  Questions  Answered”  and  named  it  “ The  Marett  Tract,” 
and  distributed  them,  at  my  own  expense,  very  widely  over  this 
country. 

This  gave  great  satisfaction  to  her  daughter,  Mrs.  Ellen  Mi 


104 


A UTOBIOGHAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


Gifford , and  subsequently  she  sent  twenty  thousand  dollars  to  found 
and  support  a The  Ellen  M.  Gifford  Sheltering  Home  for  Animals,” 
at  Brighton. 

At  her  death  she  gave  us  by  will  thirty  thousand  dollars  more  in 
trust,  to  use  the  interest  to  help  maintain  this  Sheltering  Home,  and 
twenty-five  thousand  dollars  to  use  as  tve  deemed  best  for  the  protection 
of  dumb  animals. 

I thought  a fountain  should  be  erected  to  her  memory.  Our 
directors  agreed  with  me,  and  so  I caused  it  to  be  erected. 

In  addition  to  the  $30,000  given  us  in  trust  to  support  “ The 
Sheltering  Home,”  I understand  that  $50,000  more  has  been  given 
by  her  executors,  in  accordance  with  her  will,  directly  to  “ The  Ellen 
M.  Gifford  Sheltering  Home  Corporation which  controls  the 
Home. 

1 think  it  proper  to  add  here,  that  while  our  Massachusetts  Society 
P.  C.  A.  has,  in  accordance  with  my  plans  and  wishes,  spent  a great 
deal  of  money  outside  the  State,  it  has  received  in  return,  from 
people  residing  outside  the  State,  many  thousands  of  dollars  more 
than  it  has  spent. 

But  it  is  my  hope  that  I shall  be  able  to  use,  through  our  “ Amer- 
ican Humane  Education  Society in  carrying  humane  education, 
“ Humane  Societies and  u Bands  of  Mercy  ” all  over  this  American 
Continent,  not  only  what  we  are  now  receiving  from  outside  the  State, 
but  large  contributions  from  humane  citizens  of  Massachusetts  ; for  I 
trust  that  Massachusetts  will  be  behind  no  other  State  in  this  noble 
work  of  humanely  educating  the  American  people. 

Geo.  T.  Angell. 

(From  “Our Dumb  Animals,”  October,  1891.) 

THE  WHOLE  IN  A NUTSHELL. 

What  is  your  object,  Mr.  Angell  ? 

Answer.  To  humanely  educate  the  American  people  for  the  pur- 
pose of  stopping  every  form  of  cruelty,  both  to  human  beings  and  the 
lower  animals.  That  is  my  object. 

How  do  you  propose  to  do  it  ? 

1st.  By  enlisting  the  teachers  of  every  State  and  Territory  to 
carry  humane  instruction  into  all  American  public  and  private 
schools. 

2d.  By  enlisting  the  educational,  religious,  and  secular  press  of 
the  country  to  help  form  a public  sentiment  which  will  tend  to 
check  cruelty  of  every  kind. 


A UTOBIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


105 


3 d.  By  enlisting  the  Protestant  and  Eoman  Catholic  cle'rgy  of 
the  country  in  efforts  to  unite  religious  and  humane  education  in  all 
their  churches  and  Sunday  schools. 

4 th.  By  sending  humane  information,  and  the  gems  of  humane 
literature,  pictures,  songs,  and  stories,  through  the  press  and  other- 
wise, as  I have  been  sending  “ Our  Dumb  Animals  ” and  “ Black 
Beauty ,”  all  over  this  country. 

btli.  By  the  employment  of  missionaries,  forming  “ Humane 
Societies”  and  hundreds  of  thousands  of  u Bands  of  Mercy”  in 
schools,  Sunday  schools,  and  elsewhere,  similar  to  the  over  ten  thou- 
sand we  have  already  formed. 

Qth.  By  showing  the  millions  of  American  youth,  in  ways  too 
numerous  to  be  mentioned  in  this  statement,  that  every  kind  word 
they  speak  or  kind  act  they  do  makes  their  own  lives  happier , and 
better  prepares  them  for  what  may  come  after. 

1th.  By  building  up  in  our  colleges,  schools,  and  elsewhere  a 
spirit  of  chivalry  and  humanity , which  shall  in  coming  generations 
substitute  ballots  for  bullets,  prevent  anarchy  and  crime,  protect  the 
defenceless , maintain  the  right , and  hasten  the  coming  of  peace  on 
earth  and  good  will  to  every  harmless  living  creature , both  human 
and  dumb.  Geo.  T.  Angell. 

• 

(From  “ Our  Dumb  Animals,”  December,  1891.) 

THOUGHTS  FOE  TEACHERS  AND  CLERGYMEN. 

KINDNESS  TO  ANIMALS  IN  SCHOOLS  AND  SUNDAY  SCHOOLS. 

What  is  the  use  of  teaching  kindness  to  animals  in  schools  and 
Sunday  schools  ? 

Answer.  The  eminent  French  teacher  De  Sailly  says  that  when 
he  began  to  teach  kindness  to  animals  in  his  school,  he  found  his 
pupils  became  not  only  kinder  to  animals  but  also  kinder  to  each 
other. 

In  a large  Scottish  public  school  at  Edinburgh,  out  of  about  seven 
thousand  pupils , carefully  taught  kindness  to  the  lower  animals,  it 
was  found  that  not  one  had  ever  been  charged  with  a criminal  offence 
in  any  court. 

Out  of  two  thousand  criminals  inquired  of  in  American  prisons, 
some  years  ago,  it  was  found  that  only  tivelve  had  any  pet  animal 
during  their  childhood . 

Edward  Everett  Hale  says:  “ We  are  all  in  the  same  boat,  both 


106 


AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


animals  and  men.  You  cannot  promote  kindness  to  one  without 
benefiting  the  other.” 

Rev.  Dr.  Hedge,  of  Harvard  University,  writes  of  our  humane 
educational  work  : “ I greatly  approve  of  your  enterprise , which  seems 
to  me  the  best  charity  of  the  day  .” 

Frances  E.  Willard  writes  : “ I look  upon  your  mission  as  a sacred 
one , not  second  to  any  founded  in  the  name  of  Christ.” 

Catharine  Smithies,  of  England,  writes:  “ I think  the  teaching  to 
be  kind  to  the  lower  animals  is  preparing  the  way  for  the  gospel  of 
Christ .” 

What  has  made  the  Quakers  humane  ? 

How  happened  it  that  while  all  the  other  American  Colonies 
were  at  war  with  the  Indians,  the  Quakers,  under  William  Penn, 
alone  maintained  with  them  the  most  peaceful  relations  ? 

Is  there  anything  which  strikes  more  directly  at  the  roots  of  wars, 
riots,  anarchy , and  every  form  of  cruelty,  than  humane  education  of 
the  children  in  all  our  public,  private,  and  Sunday  schools  ? 

If  you  admit  that  humane  education  of  the  children  is  a good 
thing,  the  next  question  is  how  to  accomplish  it. 

Can  you  do  it  by  telling  children  they  ought  to  be  good  ? 

Can  you  do  it  by  telling  them  they  ought  to  love  God,  of  whom 
many  of  them  know  but  very  little  ? 

Call  you  do  it  by  telling  them  they  ought  to  love  fathers  and 
mothers,  many  of  whom  are  anything  but  lovable  ? 

Can  you  do  it  by  telling  them  to  love  inanimate  objects,  like  trees 
and  flowers,  which  cannot  show  gratitude  or  return  affection  ? 

Please  think  and  tell  me  if  you  can  find  a better  way  under 
heaven  for  making  children  merciful  than  by  teaching  them  to  be 
constantly  doing  kind  acts  and  saying  kind  words  to  God’s  lower 
creatures,  by  whom  they  are  surrounded,  and  which  they  are  meet- 
ing on  the  streets  and  elsewhere  a hundred  times  a day. 

Please  think  again  and  tell  me  another  thing,  namely,  whether 
every  kind  act  we  do  and  every  kind  word  we  speak,  which  adds  to  the 
happiness  of  others,  does  not  also  add  to  our  own  happiness ; and 
when  ive  teach  the  boy  or  girl  to  be  doing  these  kind  acts  and  saying 
these  kind  words  a hundred  times  a day  to  the  lower  animals,  are 
we  not  teaching  what  will  make  their  own  lives  happier  ? 

Is  it  not  then  desirable  to  introduce  this  teaching  into  our  schools  ? 

And  will  not  Sunday  schools  be  more  attractive  to  children  if 
some  part  of  their  time  is  given  to  the  good,  noble,  and  merciful 
thoughts  and  deeds  of  this  nineteenth  century,  as  set  forth  in  the 
humane  literature  now  being  widely  published  ? 


AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


107 


Now,  if  we  find  that  humane  teachings  ought  to  be  made  a part 
of  the  instruction  in  our  schools  and  Sunday  schools,  and  that  no 
better  way  has  thus  far  been  devised  than  to  include  in  those  teach- 
ings the  teaching  of  kindness  to  the  lower  animals,  how  can  we  best 
teach  it  ? 

I answer:  We  have  formed  already  in  America  over  ten  thou- 

sand “ Bands  of  Mercy.” 

They  are  in  every  State  and  Territory  but  Alaska  — some  of 
them  in  places  as  far  distant  as  China  and  Japan. 

We  teach  in  them,  by  picture,  song,  and  story,  kindness  both  to 
our  own  race  and  to  every  harmless  living  creature. 

They  can  be  formed  in  any  school  or  Sunday  school  in  ten 
minutes.  It  costs  nothing  to  form  them,  and  only  as  much  or  little 
time  as  is  found  profitable  need  be  given  to  them. 

Immediately  on  their  formation  our  “ American  Humane  Educa- 
tion Society”  gives  to  each  band,  without  cost  for  one  year,  its 
monthly  paper  “ Our  Dumb  Animals,”  full  of  humane  stories, 
poems,  and  information,  and  a complete  outfit  of  humane  literature 
sufficient  for  all  the  meetings  that  may  be  held  during  the  year , and 
full  directions  and  suggestions. 

In  conclusion,  then,  please  carefully  consider, 

ls£.  Whether  you  can  find  anything  more  likely  to  prevent  cruelty 
and  bring  happiness  into  the  lives  of  those  taught  than  humane 
education  ? 

2d.  Whether  you  can  find  any  better  plan  of  humane  education 
than  that  which  includes  teaching  children  to  do  kind  acts  and 
speak  kind  words  to  those  that  always  show  gratitude  for  kindness 
and  return  love  for  love  ? 

3 d.  Whether  you  can  find  any  cheaper  or  better  way  to  begin  than 
by  simply  forming  a u Band  of  Mercy,”  whose  only  pledge  is,  “ 1 
will  try  to  be  kind  to  all  harmless  living  creatures  and  to  protect 
them  from  cruel  usage  ; ” and  receive  from  our  u American  Humane 
Education  Society,”  for  each  band,  a full  outfit  of  humane  literature 
for  one  year  without  cost. 

With  one  more  thought  I close.  If  it  is  certain  that  the  preven- 
tion of  domestic  and  foreign  wars  and  every  form  of  cruelty  in  the 
future  is  to  depend  largely  on  the  humane  education  we  now  give 
the  children  in  our  public,  private,  and  Sunday  schools,  is  it  not 
equally  certain  that  the  future  strength  and  vitality  of  all  benevolent 
societies  and  institutions  for  the  prevention  and  relief  of  human  suf- 
fering is  to  depend  largely  on  this  same  humane  education  ? 

Does  not  humane  education  in  church,  school,  and  home  nourish  and 


108 


A UTOBIOGRAPHhJAL  SKETCHES. 


sustain  the  tree  of  which  all  our  ten  thousand  charities  are  leaves  and 
branches  ? 

In  this  view  was  the  Rev.  Dr.  Hedge  right  or  wrong  when  he 
wrote  me,  “ I greatly  approve  of  your  enterprise,  which  seems  to  me 
the  best  charity  of  the  day  ” ? . 

Was  Frances  E.  Willard  right  or  wrong  when  she  wrote  me, 
“ I look  upon  your  mission  as  a sacred  one , not  second  to  any  founded 
in  the  name  of  Christ  ” ? 

Was  Catharine  Smithies  right  or  wrong  when  she  wrote  me, 
“ I think  the  teaching  to  be  kind  to  the  lower  animals  is  preparing 
the  way  for  the  gospel  of  Christ  ” ? Geo.  T.  Angell. 


(From  “ Our  Dumb  Animals,”  August,  1891.) 

“FROM  THE  MOUNTAINS  TO  THE  SEA.” 

Occasionally  we  get  a letter  from  some  good  friend  who  thinks 
that  he  or  she  has  a wiser  way  in  regard  to  something  than  we  have. 

WThile  to  all  such  we  give  careful  attention,  we  think  it  proper  to 
say  that  our  “ American  Humane  Education  Society  ” is  now  mov- 
ing, on  carefully  considered  plans,  on  a “ March  ” which  may  prove 
vastly  more  important  to  this  nation  and  the  world  than  Sherman’s 
“ March  from  the  mountains  to  the  sea.” 

The  sending  this  paper  monthly  to  all  the  editors  of  North 
America  north  of  Mexico,  — the  formation  of  over  eleven  thousand 
“ Bands  of  Mercy  ” in  every  State  and  Territory  but  Alaska,  — the 
printing  in  a little  over  a year  of  over  half  a million  copies  of 
“ Black  Beauty ,”  now  being  translated  by  us  into  various  European 
and  Asiatic  languages,  — the  offering  a prize  of  one  thousand  dollars 
for  the  best  equestrian  drama  of  “ Black  Beauty,”  to  be  seen,  we 
think,  by  hundreds  of  thousands  in  this  and  other  countries,  — the 
offering  of  a prize  to  all  the  college  students  of  America  for  the 
best  essay  on  “ The  Effect  of  Humane  Education  on  the  P revention 
of  Crime,”  and  sending  to  all  their  libraries  our  humane  publica- 
tions, and  to  the  students  themselves  some  seventy  thousand  copies 
of  condensed  humane  information,  — the  offering  to  all  American 
editors  a similar  prize  of  three  hundred  dollars,  for  a similar  essay, 
and  sending  to  them  all  copies  of  condensed  humane  information,  — 
the  offering  of  two  prizes  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  each  for 
the  ablest  essays  on  vivisection,  which  we  hope  to  get  the  means  to 
send  to  every  editor  and  every  physician  in  America,  — these  are 
only  some  of  the  plans  already  undertaken,  and.  we  have  still  larger 


AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


109 


and  more  important  ones  for  the  future , if  the  kind  Providence  which 
has  hitherto  so  wonderfully  helped  us  shall  give  us  the  power  to  carry 
them  out. 

For  what  has  been  done  we  claim  no  personal  credit.  We  have 
simply  acted  upon  thoughts  which  have  come  to  us  in  the  day,  and 
the  night,  from  we  know  not  where,  and  endeavored  to  do  what 
something  has  told  us  we  ought.  When  the  “ March  ” is  completed 
and  the  great  open  sea  is  reached,  then  we  shall  perhaps  be  able  to 
determine  whether  we  have  been  wisely  or  unwisely  directed. 

Geo,  T.  Angell. 

(From  “Our  Dumb  Animals,”  February,  1892.) 

OUR  MINISTER  TO  CHILI  SHOT,  AND  WAR  INEVITABLE. 

This  was  the  report  circulated  in  Boston,  and  brought  to  me  on 
the  evening  of  January  27th,  1892.  I immediately  sat  down  and 
wrote  the  following  petition,  which  I should  have  had  presented  to 
our  Legislature  next  day,  and  should  have  endeavored  through 
our  Boston  papers  and  the  “ Associated  Press  ” to  have  had  similar 
petitions  presented  to  the  Legislatures  of  other  States  ; but  next 
morning,  January  28th,  came  news  that  the  report  was  false,  and 
the  war  cloud  passing  over. 

But,  as  it  may  be  suggestive  in  future  similar  difficulties,  I send 
it  through  U0ur  Dumb  Animals”  to  about  twenty  thousand  American 
editors  ivho  receive  this  paper. 

To  the  Honorable  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  of  the  Com- 
monwealth of  Massachusetts,  now  in  session : 

Respectfully  but  most  earnestly  prays  the  “ American  Humane  Ed- 
ucation Society , ” incorporated  under  the  laws  of  this  Commonwealth, 
that,  in  view  of  the  existing  difficulties  between  this  country  and 
-our  sister  Republic  of  Chili,  your  Honorable  Bodies  will,  in  the 
interests  of  humanity  and  Christian  civilization , pass  at  the  earliest 
possible  moment  a resolution  requesting  our  Massachusetts  members 
of  Congress  to  use  their  utmost  efforts  to  secure  the  peaceful  settle- 
ment of  these  difficulties  by  arbitration,  to  the  end  that  the  sea- 
ports of  Chili  may  not  be  bombarded  by  our  navy,  and  the  lives  and 
property  of  thousands  of  innocent  Christian  men , women , and  chil- 
dren be  endangered , and  perhaps  sacrificed , because  of  the  criminal 
acts  of  a comparatively  small  number  of  irresponsible  men. 

Trusting  that  this  petition  and  prayer  may  be  promptly  granted, 
I am,  most  respectfully,  in  behalf  of  the  u American  Humane  Educa- 
tion Society,”  Geo.  T.  Angell,  President. 


110 


AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES . 


(From  “ Our  Dumb  Animals,”  February,  1892.) 

ANGEL  — ANGELL. 

In  answer  to  questions  sometimes  asked,  our  name  is  pronounced 
precisely  like  the  above  in  the  Bible.  We  were  never  a clergyman 
or  a doctor.  The  money  which  has  enabled  us  to  work  for  dumb 
animals  over  twenty  years  without  pay,  and  give  some  thousands  of 
dollars  to  the  work,  was  made  in  the  practice  of  law  in  the  city  of 
Boston  from  1851  to  1868. 


(From  “ Our  Dumb  Animals,”  February,  1892.) 

PREACHING  THE  GOSPEL. 

A clergyman  in  southern  Massachusetts  had  in  his  parish  a very  sharp, money- 
making old  gentleman,  who  attended  church  regularly  Sundays,  but  sold  in  his 
grocery  store  a good  deal  of  rum  week-days.  The  clergyman  called  upon  him 
one  day  and  asked  him  to  stop  selling  rum.  He  replied  that  he  should  be  glad 
to  stop,  but  the  fact  was  that  his  brother , who  was  in  partnership  with  him,  was 
determined  to  sell  rum,  and  while  he  didn’t  wish  the  clergyman  to  say  anything 
about  it  either  to  his  brother  or  anybody  else,  yet  it  was  absolutely  impossible, 
on  account  of  his  brother’s  determination,  to  give  up  selling  it.  Notwithstand- 
ing the  caution,  the  good  clergyman  thought  he  would  see  the  brother.  The 
brother  said  at  once  that  he  would  be  glad  to  give  up  selling  rum , if  his  brother 
(the  gentleman  first  referred  to)  would  consent.  The  clergyman  then  thought 
he  had  accomplished  his  mission,  and  went  back  to  the  first  brother,  telling  him. 
how  happy  he  was  at  the  result,  but  the  only  reply  he  got  was,  “ I think,  Elder, 
you  had  better  stick  to  preachin ’ the  gospel , and  let  this  temperance  business 
alone.”  The  good  elder  thought  he  was  preaching  the  gospel  in  stopping  the 
selling  of  rum. 

Our  “ American  Humane  Education  Society  ” preaches  from  no  pulpit,  but  by  sending  out 
over  half  a million  copies  of  only  one  of  its  humane  publications,  “Black  Beauty ,”  it  has- 
during  the  past  year  and  a half  reached  perhaps  hundreds  of  thousands  who  seldom  or  never 
attend  church  or  see  a religious  tract  or  newspaper.  On  the  subject  of  temperance  it  is  per- 
haps on  some  accounts  the  best  book  ever  written,  because  it  reaches  Such  multitudes  of 
those  who  most  need  it  and  yet  will  never  read  a temperance  paper  or  tract. 

So  on  questions  of  peace,  observance  of  the  Sabbath,  and,  in  fact,  as  one  good  bishop  said, 
“ almost  everything  that  goes  to  make  a good  Christian  character ,”  this  book  is  preaching 
the  gospel,  day  and  night,  Sundays  and  week-days. 

Clergymen  on  the  Sabbath  tell  their  hearers  of  the  great  truths  of  immortality,  but  tens 
and  perhaps  hundreds  of  thousands  who  never  hear  those  sermons  are  reached  by  our  publi- 
cations, and  set  to  thinking  by  being  told  that  the  greatest  scientist  and  teacher  we  ever  had  on 
this  continent,  Agassiz,  was  a firm  believer  in  the  immortality  of  animals.  We  believe  that  our 
over  eleven  thousand  “Bands  of  Mercy”  (Catholic  and  Protestant),  with  the  publications 
our  “ American  Humane  Education  Society  ” is  sending  them,  bearing  on  its  seal,  “ Glory  to • 
God,”  “ Peace  on  Earth,”  “ Kindness , Justice , and  Mercy  to  every  Living  Creature,”  are 
preaching  the  gospel  as  truly  as  it  is  preached  from  any  pulpit  in  the  land.  “ Go  ye  out  into 
the  world  and  preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature.”  Is  not  that  precisely  what  our  “ Ameri- 
can Humane  Education  Society  ” is  now  doing  t 

Geo.  T.  Angell. 


NEUTRAL  FLAG. 

As,  in  wars  between  nations,  ships  sailing  under  a neutral  flag 
enter  all  ports ; so  in  wars  between  religious  sects  and  political 
parties,  this  little  vessel  of  ours,  Our  Dumb  Animals , sails- 
monthly  and  every  second  month  into  every  editorial  office  in 
America  north  of  Mexico , and  into  many  in  other  lands,  to  dis- 
tribute its  cargoes  of  mercy  through  thousands  of  channels  into 
millions  of  homes  which,  under  a different  flag , it  could  never  have 
reached.  Geo.  T.  Angell* 


AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


Ill 


(From  “ Our  Dumb  Animals,”  September,  1893.) 

HUMANE  LITERATURE. 

NOT  A GOLDEN  DREAM  BUT  A GOLDEN  PROSPECT. 

When  on  August  12th,  1864,  two  years  before  the  founding,  by  Henry 
Bergh,  of  New  York,  of  the  first  society  in  America  for  the  prevention  of 
cruelty  to  dumb  animals,  and  when  I was  not  aware  that  there  was  such  a 
society  in  the  world,  I executed  my  then  last  will  and  testament.  It  was 
with  a deep  sense  of  the  infinite  importance  of  the  wide  circulation  of 
humane  literature  that  I wrote  in  it  this  : — 

“ It  has  long  been  my  opinion  that  there  is  much  wrong  in  the  treatment 
of  domestic  animals ; that  they  are  too  often  overworked,  overpunished, 
and,  particularly  in  winter  and  in  times  of  scarcity,  underfed.  All  these  I 
think  great  wrongs,  particularly  the  last ; and  it  is  my  earnest  wish  to  do 
something  towards  awakening  public  sentiment  on  this  subject ; the  more 
so,  because  these  animals  have  no  power  of  complaint,  or  adequate  human 
protection,  against  those  who  are  disposed  to  do  them  injury.  I do  there- 
fore direct  that  all  the  remainder  of  my  property  not  hereinbefore  disposed 
of  shall,  within  two  years  after  the  decease  of  my  mother  and  myself,  or 
the  survivor,  be  expended  by  my  trustees  in  circulating  in  common  schools, 
Sunday  schools,  or  other  schools,  or  otherwise,  in  such  manner  as  my 
trustees  shall  deem  best,  such  books,  tracts,  or  pamphlets  as  in  their  judg- 
ment will  tend  most  to  impress  upon  the  minds  of  youth  their  duty  towards 
those  domestic  animals  which  God  may  make  dependent  upon  them.” 

When  four  years  later  I entered  upon  what  I determined  should  be  my 
life  work,  and  issued  in  June,  1868,  two  hundred  thousand  copies  of  the  first 
number  of  “ Our  Dumb  Animals ,”  the  first  paper  of  its  kind  in  the  world,  it 
was  with  the  same  thought. 

When  in  July,  1882,  with  the  aid  of  Rev.  Mr.  Timmins,  I started  the  first 
“Band  of  Mercy”  in  America,  whose  branches  now  number  over  sixteen 
thousand  in  every  state  and  territory,  it  was  with  the  same  thought. 

When  in  1889  I obtained  from  our  Massachusetts  legislature  an  act  incor- 
porating our  “ American  Humane  Education  Society ,”  with  power  to  hold 
half  a million  of  dollars  free  from  taxation,  and  gave  it  as  my  contribution 
towards  the  half  million,  property  valued  at  over  three  thousand  dollars,  it 
was  with  the  same  thought  and  the  earnest  hope  that  it  might  become  a 
mighty  instrumentality  for  promoting  kindness  to  God’s  lower  creatures  as 
well  as  higher,  not  only  in  our  own  country  but  around  the  world. 

Providentially , I think  I may  truly  say  Providentially , through  its  first 
publication,  “ Black  Beauty ,”  it  has  already  sent  out  and  caused  to  be  sent 
out,  over  not  only  this  whole  country  but  to  some  extent  in  foreign  lands, 
probably  not  less  than  a million  and  a half  of  missionaries  to  preach  the  gos- 
pel of  kindness  not  only  in  cultivated  and  Christian  homes,  but  in  tens  and 
perhaps  hundreds  of  thousands  of  other  homes  where  no  missionary  preach- 
ing its  gospel  had  ever  before  entered. 

In  pursuance  of  my  original  design,  I have  through  it  since  offered 
various  prizes  for  other  stories  to  aid  its  work. 

Some  have  won  the  prizes  offered,  and  others  of  almost  or  equal  interest 
I have  bought  from  their  authors,  and  as  fast  as  they  can  be  revised  and 
put  in  proper  form  I propose  to  send  them  out  on  their  mission  of  mercy. 


112 


AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


It  is  a new  field  of  literature,  almost  un worked  before,  but  if  my  hopes 
■and  anticipations  are  answered  and  the  kind  Providence,  which  has  so  many 
times  helped,  continues  to  help,  I believe  that  sooner  or  later  a harvest  is 
to  be  reaped  which  will  make  this  world  a happier  dwelling  place  for  all, 
both  human  and  dumb.  Geo.  T.  Angell. 


(From  “ Our  Dumb  Animals,”  October,  1893.) 

THE  FOLLOWING  LETTER  HAS  BEEN  SENT  TO  THE  PRESIDENTS 
OF  ALL  AMERICAN  UNIVERSITIES  AND  COLLEGES. 

My  Dear  Sir: 

The  letter  which  in  behalf  of  our  “ American  Humane  Education  Society  ** 
I wrote  you  a few  months  since  — and  the  humane  publications  I sent  to  all 
of  you  and  to  all  your  university  and  college  libraries , and  the  offer  of  $700  by  the 
above-named  Society  in  prizes  to  all  American  Students  for  the  best  essays 
on  u The  importance  of  humane  education  in  our  higher  institutions  of  learning , 
and  the  best  practical  plans  of  introducing  it ,”  have  resulted  in  the  following 
awards  by  one  of  the  ablest  Committees  that  could  be  selected  : 

FIRST  SERIES. 

First  prize,  $200,  to  W.  H.  Short,  of  Beloit  College,  Beloit,  Wig. 

Second  prize,  $150,  to  Wm.  M.  Jack , of  the  Theological  Seminary.  Prince- 
ton, N.  J. 

Third  prize,  $100,  to  Lauros  G.  McConachie,  of  Johns  Hopkins  Univer- 
sity, Baltimore,  Md. 

Fourth  prize,  $50,  to  J.  F.  Stapleton , Jr.,  of  Harvard  University. 

SECOND  SERIES. 

First  prize,  $100,  to  Herman  F.  Hegner,  of  Chicago  Theological  Seminary, 
Chicago,  111. 

Second  prize,  $60,  to  Lauros  G.  McConachie,  of  Johns  Hopkins  Univer- 
sity, Baltimore,  Md. 

Third  prize,  $40,  to  A.  V.  Babbs,  of  Ohio  Wesleyan  University,  Dela- 
ware, Ohio. 

From  a careful  examination  of  these  essays  I am  led  to  the  conclusion 
that  practical  plans  of  introducing  humane  education  into  our  higher  insti- 
tutions of  learning  are : 

First.  To  form  in  them  “ Humane  Leagues ,”  the  object  of  which  shall  be 
to  gather  information  and  discuss  humane  plans  for  the  prevention  of  foreign  ami 
civil  wars,  riots , conflicts  between  capital  and  labor,  crimes  of  violence,  the  pro- 
tection of  the  poor  and  unfortunate,  the  prevention  of  cruelty  both  to  human 
beings  and  dumb  animals,  the  distribution  of  humane  literature  and  the  promo- 
tion of  a humane  education  of  all  classes,  young  and  old. 

Second.  To  establish  in  our  universities  and  colleges  u Department*  or 
Professorships  of  Social  Science  and  Humanity,'’'1  the  object  of  which  shall  be 
to  instruct  the  students  by  lectures  and  otherwise  in  regard  to  all  the  above 
and  kindred  subjects,  and  impress  upon  them  their  importance  to  the  future 
of  our  country  and  the  world. 

These  conclusions  lead  me  to  offer  in  behalf  of  our  u American  Humane 
Education  Society  ” a prize  of  $1000  to  the  first  leading  College  or  University 


AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


113 


which  will  establish  in  accordance  with  our  plans  such  a Department  or 
Professorship. 

Will  you  please  kindly  consider  and  bring  before  your  Faculty  for  discus- 
sion this  proposition,  also  carefully  consider  and  submit  to  them,  if  you 
think  proper,  the  following  thoughts  : 

THOUGHTS. 

The  university  or  college  sends  out  a doctor  with  a knowledge  of  drugs 
.and  medicines  to  hold  in  his  hands  the  lives,  health  and  happiness  of  human 
beings. 

Is  it  not  important  that  he  should  be  also  humane ? 

It  sends  out  a lawyer  to  practise  his  profession  for  good  or  evil ; a law- 
maker to  make  laws ; a judge  to  administer  them,  a capitalist  to  employ 
hundreds,  perhaps  thousands  of  poorer  people. 

Is  it  not  important  that  all  these  should  be  humane? 

Ought  it  not  to  be  the  aim  of  every  college  and  university  to  send  out  every 
graduate  a better  and  more  humane  man  than  when  he  entered ? 

And  how  is  this  to  be  accomplished? 

Where  can  the  great  questions  of  peace  and  war,  upon  which  the  happi- 
ness of  millions  depend,  be  more  profitably  discussed  than  in  our  colleges 
and  universities ; — the  questions  of  capital  and  labor ; — how  best  to  pre- 
vent anarchy,  riots,  and  great  destruction  of  property  and  life ; — the  great 
questions  of  poverty  and  crime  — how  best  to  deal  with  them ; — the  wise 
administration  of  our  great  charities  for  the  prevention  of  cruelty  to  the 
sick,  the  insane,  and  all  who  are  dependent  on  charity? 

Is  there  not  a vast  amount  of  information  on  all  these  subjects  which  it 
would  be  well  for  our  country  and  the  world  that  university  and  college 
students  at  their  graduation  should  know? 

Is  there  not  also  a most  important  field  of  humane  thought  in  an  investi- 
gation of  the  various  plans  of  protecting  public  health  and  preventing  pre- 
ventable sickness,  insanity  and  suffering,  including  in  this  the  enormous 
sale  in  this  country,  especially  to  the  poor,  of  poisonous  and  adulterated 
articles? 

Then  in  regard  to  the  claims  of  the  lower  animals  to  protection. 

How  many  of  our  college  or  university  students  ever  thought  of  the 
wonderful  intelligence  of  many  of  the  lower  orders  of  creation  — how  many 
ever  studied  the  evidences  of  their  good  as  well  as  intellectual  qualities?  — 
Iiow  many  know  that  Agassiz  firmly  believed  in  the  immortality  of  some 
of  them?  — how  many  know  the  effects  on  public  health  of  eating  the  flesh 
of  animals  that  have  suffered  in  transportation,  slaughtering,  or  otherwise 
just  before  death? 

How  many  know  how  public  health  may  be  improved  by  improving 
animal  transportation  by  land  and  sea  — by  improving  and  making  more 
merciful  our  methods  of  slaughtering  — by  preventing  the  confinement  of 
milch  cows  in  dark  and  unwholesome  stables  and  feeding  them  on  distillery 
slops  and  other  improper  food? 

How  many  know  that  the  milk  of  the  abused  animal  mother , like  the  milk  of 
the  abused  human  mother , may  produce  sickness  and  sometimes  death? 


114 


A UTOBIOGRA  PH1CAL  SKETCHES. 


How  many  have  ever  properly  considered  the  relation  of  birds  to  agri- 
culture, and  how  much  better  it  is  to  study  them  with  an  opera  glass  and 
kodak  than  with  a gun  ? 

How  many  know  the  happiness  that  may  come  into  all  human  lives  by  the  uni- 
versal teaching  of  kindness  to  the  lower  ones  — that  the  boy  who  has  no  proper 
home  influences  may  be  made  a merciful  man  and  good  citizen  by  the  constant 
practise  of  kindness  to  the  lower  creatures , and  that  it  has  been  proved  in  num- 
erous schools  of  various  nations  that  those  taught  to  be  doing  kind  acts 
daily  to  the  lower  races  — feeding  the  birds,  patting  the  horses,  talking 
kindly  to  all  sensitive  creatures , e£c.,  become  in  all  the  relations  of  life  better 
men  and  women ? 

Where  else  can  these  things  be  better  taught  than  in  our  colleges  and 
universities? 

When  in  1878  1 asked  President  Hayes  at  Washington  to  put  into  his 
message  to  Congress  what  I had  written  on  the  transportation  of  animals, 
he  answered : u When  I was  in  Harvard  University  I heard  a sermon  by  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Hedge  on  the  immortality  of  animals , which  I have  never  forgotten  to 
this  day.  What  you  have  written  shall  go  into  my  message .”  And  it  did, 
almost  verbatim. 

When  in  the  winter  of  1884  and  1885  I addressed  the  students  of  a New 
Orleans  university,  a gentleman  rose  at  the  close  and  said : “ Ten  years  ago 
I was  a student  in  Dartmouth  College  when  Mr.  Angell  came  there  and  addressed 
the  students  on  the  importance  of  kindness  to  dumb  animals.  I had  never  thought 
of  the  subject  before , but  when  I left  college  there  was  no  one  thought  more 
strongly  impressed  upon  my  mind  than  the  duty  of  kindness  to  the  lower 
animals .” 

The  gentleman  was  then  the  assistant  superintendent,  and  has  since  been 
superintendent  of  the  public  schools  of  Minneapolis. 

If  such  results  can  come  to  only  two  students  from  listening  to  a 
single  sermon  and  talk  on  one  subject , what  may  we  not  hope  when 
the  seventy  thousand  students  now  in  our  American  colleges  and  uni- 
versities are  as  thoroughly  educated  in  regard  to  all  humane  subjects  as 
they  are  in  regard  to  other  matters. 

I am  sure  no  thoughtful  man  connected  with  any  of  our  American  col- 
leges or  universities  can  carefully  consider  this  subject  without  feeling  that 
a Department  or  Professorship  of  Social  Science  and  Humanity  in  our 
larger  institutions,  and  courses  of  lectures  in  our  smaller,  are  quite  as 
important  to  the  future  of  our  nation  and  the  world  as  anything  now 
taught. 

Geo.  T.  Angell, 

President  of  the  American  Humane  Education  Society , 
the  Massachusetts  Society  for  the  Prevention  of 
Cruelty  to  Animals , and  the  Parent  American  Band 
of  Mercy , 19  Milk  Street , Boston. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 


In  writing  one’s  own  history,  the  writer  is  always  liable  to  the 
charge  of  too  much  self-eommendation ; for  we  all  like  to  be  well 
thought  of,  and  cannot  be  expected  to  depreciate  our  own  work. 

On  the  other  hand,  nobody  is  so  familiar  with  our  history  as  our- 
selves ; and  wrhen  others  attempt  to  give  it,  they  are  quite  likely  to 
follow  the  example  of  the  old  lady  who  rubbed  out  all  the  charges 
made  by  her  husband  with  chalk  on  the  back-door,  and  then  under- 
took to  remedy  the  matter  by  writing  other  charges  which  seemed  to 
her  equally  good.  The  press  has  repeatedly  made  me  a “ Doctor ,”  a 
“ Reverend ” and  a “ Reverend  Doctor.”  Once  I particularly  told, 
from  the  pulpit,  the  Chicago  reporters  that  I was  not  a clergyman. 
It  made  no  difference.  Next  morning  I found  in  the  papers  that  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Angell  of  Boston  delivered  the  address. 

History  written  by  strangers  is  very  uncertain.  In  attempting  to 
name  this  continent  after  its  first  discoverer,  the  huge  blunder  was 
made  of  giving  it  the  name  of  a man  who  had  not  the  slightest  claim 
to  that  honor. 

Shortly  after  our  late  war,  a book  was  published,  and  given  wide 
circulation,  which  represented  Gen.  Grant’s  services  as  comparatively 
unimportant.  It  is  related,  that,  when  some  of  his  officers  indignant- 
ly called  his  attention  to  the  subject,  the  General  calmly  replied, 
“ I expect  to  find  out  some  time  that  I was  never  in  that  war  at  all.” 
If  Gen.  Grant  would  write,  or  cause  to  be  written,  his  own  recol- 
lections of  the  war  and  subsequent  incidents,  it  would  be  a most 
valuable  contribution  to  American  history. 

I remember  but  one  grave  charge  ever  made  against  my  worK  ; and 
that  was  at  Washington,  by  Gen.  Sherman.  Two  ladies  called  on  him 
to  tell  him  that  I was  trying  to  organize  a societ}7  for  the  prevention 


116 


A TJTOBIOGRAPHY. 


of  cruelty  to  animals,  and  to  ask  his  help.  The  old  general,  know- 
ing at  that  time  very  little  about  such  societies  (though  he  is  now 
a vice-president  of  one  of  them) , at  once  jumped  to  the  conclusion 
that  I must  he  trying  to  get  some  government  office.  To  those  familiar 
with  things  at  Washington,  the  general’s  conclusion  will  not  seem  so 
strange,  as  possibly  nine  out  of  ten  who  visit  that  beautiful  city  want 
something  of  the  kind. 

I forgave  him,  as  I subsequently  told  a Washington  audience,  on 
the  same  ground  that  a Roman-Catholic  servant-girl  in  England 
thought  her  master,  a Lord  Bishop  of  the  Protestant-Episcopal  Church, 
might  be  saved. 

He  said  to  her  one  day,  “ I suppose,  Bridget,  as  I am  a Protestant 
and  a heretic,  you  as  a Roman  Catholic  think  I shall  be  finally  lost.” 

“ Oh,  no,  sir!  ” said  Bridget.  “ I doesn’t  think  you  will  be  lost, 
•sir.” 

“ Why  not,  — why  not,  Bridget?  ” said  the  Bishop.  “ How  can  I, 
being  a Protestant  and  a heretic,  be  saved?  ” 

“Well,  I thinks,  sir,”  said  she,  “you  will  be  saved,  sir,  because 
of  your  hignorance , sir.” 

And  that  was  precisely  the  ground  on  which  I forgave  Gen. 
Sherman  for  thinking  I wanted  an  office. 

IMMORTALITY  OF  ANIMALS. 

In  my  address  at  the  Boston  Theatre,  to  the  Boston  drivers,  I 
referred  to  the  fact  that  more  than  half  the  human  race  believe  in 
some  form  of  a future  life  for  horses  as  well  as  men,  and  that  in 
that  half  were  many  of  the  most  eminent  Christian  clergy  and  many 
of  the  world’s  most  distinguished  scholars,  including  Agassiz,  prob- 
ably the  greatest  scientist  w’e  ever  had  on  the  American  continent. 
.1  also  told  them  that  I believed  vastly  more  in  the  power  of  kind 
words  and  humane  education  than  in  prosecutions  ; and  that,  out  of 
three  thousand  two  hundred  and  forty-three  complaints  of  cruelty 
that  our  officers  had  investigated  during  the  preceding  year,  we  had 
prosecuted  only  a hundred  and  forty-two.  I also  told  them  about 
our  great  army  of  mere}',  whose  mottoes  were  “Glory  to  God,” 
“Peace  on  Earth,”  “Kindness  to  all  harmless  living  creatures,” 
and  whose  pledge  was  that  every  member  would  try  to  protect  from 
injustice  and  wrong  every  suffering  human  being  and  every  suffering 
dumb  beast. 

I think  it  would  be  a good  thing  if  the  drivers  of  every  city,  upon 
whom  the  happiness  of  horses  so  largely  depends,  could  be  thus 
gathered  and  addressed. 


A U10B10GRA  PH  Y. 


117 


DOCTORS. 

And  speaking  of  doctors , I will  put  on  record  here  that  I believe 
the  time  will  come,  though  probably  not  in  my  day,  when  our  colleges 
will  not  only  confer  the  degrees  of  Doctor  of  Laics , Doctor  of  Phi- 
losophy, Doctor  of  Medicine , Doctor  of  Divinity,  Doctor  of  Agri- 
culture, etc.,  but  another  which  will  be  deemed  quite  as  honorable,  — 
Doctor  of  Humanity. 

• DIARIES. 

It  has  been  my  habit  for  many  years  to  keep  a daily  diary,  or  jour- 
nal, of  all  matters  I have  cared  to  remember.  Once  a week  I post 
this  into  another,  kept  in  a different  place,  to  guard  against  danger 
of  loss.  I have  found  this  of  great  value,  and  advise  others  to  do  it. 

SLEEP. 

There  are  certainly  tens  of  thousands,  and  probably  hundreds  of 
thousands,  who  suffer  through  life  in  greater  or  less  degree  from 
inability  to  sleep.  Some  take  narcotics,  opiates,  anaesthetics.  For 
the  benefit  of  those  who  do  not,  I will  say  that  I suppose  there  are 
very  few  in  this  country  who  have  slept  less  than  I have  ; but  I have 
never  taken  any  thing  to  stupefy,  and  I am  now  in  m3"  sixty-ninth 
year,  while  thousands  of  good  sleepers  I have  known  have  long  since 
gone  to  the  last  sleep  that  knows  no  waking  here.  It  was  undoubted- 
1}T  wise  to  change  my  professional  life  from  court  to  office  practice : 
but  in  other  matters  I was  compelled  to  choose  between  living  the  life 
of  a vegetable,  or  losing  sleep ; and  I chose  the  latter. 

In  the  founding  of  the  Massachusetts  Society  for  the  Prevention 
of  Cruelty  to  Animals,  I had  very  little  sleep  for  several  months  ; 
in  England  no  more,  and  I was  often  so  weak  that  I could  not  walk 
the  streets  without  dizziness.  My  attacks  on  adulteration  were  full 
of  wakeful  nights  ; and  my  lectures  and  addresses  have  rarety  failed 
to  cost  me  in  delivery  one  or  two  nights  of  little  or  no  sleep,  and  in 
preparation  often  many  nights  of  little  sleep. 

But  I am  alive,  in  my  sixty-ninth  year,  and  able  to  work ; 
and  thankful,  that,  while  there  are  so  many  headaches  and 
heartaches  in  the  world,  my  life  seems  to  grow  happier  as  I grow 
older.  I have  no  desire  for  rest : on  the  contrary,  my  wish  is 
to  be  usefully  and  happily  employed  through  eternity. 


FINIS. 

It  is  often  the  lot  of  those  who  attempt  to  travel  somewhat  in 
advance  of  the  majority  on  any  path  of  the  world’s  progress,  to 


118 


A UTOBIOGRAPHY. 


receive  plenty  of  abuse  in  their  lifetimes,  with  more  or  less  praise 
after  they  are  dead.  It  may  be  useful  to  others  to  know  that  my 
experience  in  endeavoring  to  secure  increased  protection  for  animals 
has  been  singularly  fortunate. 

I do  not  know  now  many  diplomas  and  certificates  of  honorary 
membership  of  American  and  European  societies  I have  received  at 
various  times,  but  they  are  quite  numerous.  Nor  how  many  Bands 
of  Mercy  in  various  States  have  taken  m3’  name  : I have  been  notified 
of  a considerable  number.  But  I do  know  the  kincf  words  that  have 
been  published  on  both  sides  of  the  Atlantic,  in  regard  to  what  I have 
attempted  to  do,  would  fill  a considerable  volume.  If  any  error  has 
been  made,  it  has  been  in  giving  me  more  credit  than  I deserved.  I 
have  done  and  attempted  simply  duty,  and  what  I have  been  able  to 
accomplish  has  been  with  the  aid  of  man}’  others  ; and  I have  been 
richl}’  rewarded  both  in  the  doing,  and  in  the  consciousness  of  what 
has  been  done. 

It  is  beyond  the  limits  of  this  volume,  to  give  lectures,  addresses, 
essa}7s,  pamphlets,  leaflets,  editorials,  newspaper-articles,  and  other 
papers  I have  written. 

Some  of  them  will  be  found  in  U0ur  Dumb  Animals ,”  beginning 
with  its  first  number,  June,  1868  ; some  of  them  in  seventeen  scrap- 
books I have  carefully  preserved ; and  some  only  in  manuscript. 
A few  appear  in  this  volume. 

GEO.  T.  ANGELL. 

Boston,  November  1st,  1891. 


APPENDIX. 


/ 

PHOTOGRAPH  AND  BRIEF  SKETCH  WHICH  APPEARED  IN 
VARIOUS  HUMANE  JOURNALS  FROM  1876  TO  1879. 


GEORGE  T.  ANGELL. 

Mr.  Angell  was  born  in  Southbridge,  'Worcester  County,  Mass., 
June  5,  1823.  He  graduated  at  Dartmouth  College  in  1846,  com- 
mencing the  study  of  the  law  with  the  Hon.  Richard  Fletcher  of 
Boston,  who  was  a judge  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Massachusetts,* 
and  continuing  it  in  the  office  of  Charles  G.  Loring,  Esq.,  a dis- 

l 


9 


APPENDIX. 


tinguished  counsellor  of  the  Massachusetts  bar.  He  also  studied  at 
the  Harvard  University  Law  School.  He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in 
1851,  formed  a co-partnership  with  Hon.  Samuel  E.  Sewall  of  Boston, 
an  eminent  lawyer  of  the  State,  and  was  soon  engaged  in  a large  and 
lucrative  practice. 

In  1864  several  cases  of  extreme  cruelty  to  dumb  animals  led  him 
to  provide  by  will,  that  a portion  of  his  property,  after  his  decease, 
should  be  devoted  to  circulating,  in  schools  and  elsewhere,  informa- 
tion calculated  to  secure  for  them  a higher  protection. 

In  1868  Mr.  Angell  entered  upon  the  work  of  protecting  animals 
in  Massachusetts ; and,  with  Mrs.  William  Appleton  and  others, 
founded  the  Massachusetts  Society  for  the  Prevention  of  Cruelty  to 
Animals,  of  which  he  was  elected  president,  which  office  he  has  held 
ever  since. 

In  1869  he  visited  Europe,  partly  for  the  restoration  of  his  health, 
but  largely  in  the  interests  of  humanity.  He  was  received  most 
cordially  by  the  British  Royal  Society  for  Prevention  of  Cruelty 
to  Animals,  before  which  he  made  an  exhibition  of  his  plans,  and 
related  a history  of  the  work  already  accomplished  in  the  United 
States. 

He  found  in  London  a most  distinguished  and  efficient  ally  in  the 
Baroness  Burdett-Coutts. 

Mr.  Angell  from  the  start  saw  the  absolute  necessity  of  humane 
education.  He  proposed,  and  during  the  first  nine  months  edited, 
“ Our  Dumb  Animals,”  the  first  periodical  of  its  kind  in  the  world. 
The  Massachusetts  society  printed  two  hundred  thousand  copies  of 
its  first  number. 

In  England  he  urged  the  Royal  Society  to  establish  “ The  Animal 
World,”  and  the  Baroness  Burdett-Coutts  to  form  the  “ Ladies’ 
Humane  Educational  Committee  of  England.”  That  committee  has 
given  a wide  circulation  to  humane  literature  in  Great  Britain. 

In  1869  he  attended  and  took  an  active  part  in  the  congress  of  the 
societies  of  the  world  at  Zurich,  Switzerland. 

In  1870  he  went  to  Chicago,  and  organized  the  Illinois  Humane 
Society. 

Since  his  return  from  Europe,  he  has  written  various  pamphlets. 
Among  them  are  u Five  Questions  answered,”  u Transportation  of 
Animals,”  “ Protection  of  Animals,”  “ The  Check-Rein,”  etc.,  etc. 
He  has  written  also  many  articles  for  the  press.  He  has  addressed 
more  than  a hundred  audiences  upon  the  prevention  of  cruelty  to 
animals ; among  which  were  the  Legislatures  of  several  States,  con- 
ventions of  clergymen  and  teachers,  scientific  meetings,  and  various 


GEORGE  T.  ANGELL. 


3 


colleges  and  normal  schools.  He  is  an  honorary  member  of  a large 
number  of  European  societies  for  the  prevention  of  cruelty  to 
animals. 

As  a director  of  the  American  Social  Science  Association,  he  has  given  much 
time  to  the  investigation  of  the  growth  and  increase  of  crime  in  tlie  United 
States,  and  to  the  means  of  preventing  it;  delivering  many  lectures  upon  the 
subject  before  conventions  and  associations,  besides  writing  for  the  newspapers 
on  the  same  subject. 

He  has  also,  of  late,  given  much  time  to  investigating  and  publish- 
ing information  in  regard  to  the  adulteration  of  human  food,  and  in 
advocating  the  organization  of  public  health  associations. 

“ He  has  also  been  connected  with  various  charitable  organizations!  for  the 
relief  of  the  poor.  But  the  principal  portion  of  his  spare  time  during  the  past 
eleven  years  has  been  given,  gratuitously,  to  the  protection  of  dumb  animals; 
because  he  thinks  they  are  most  neglected,  and  because  he  believes  that  humane 
work  in  their  behalf  has  a direct  bearing  upon  the  welfare  of  man.” 

Mr.  Angell,  as  chairman  of  the  Executive  Committee  of  the 
American  Humane  Association,  after  its  last  meeting  at  Baltimore, 
gave  fifteen  addresses  before  large  audiences  in  Baltimore,  Richmond, 
and  Washington,  in  behalf  of  protecting  animals. 

He  is  a son  of  a clergyman  ; adding  another  name  to  the  long  list 
of  men  widely  known  for  humane  labors,  whose  fathers  were  teach- 
ers in  the  Church. 

His  tracts  have  had  a wide  circulation  wherever  the  claims  of  animals  have 
received  attention,  and  have  made  his  name  as  familiar  as  a household-word  in 
that  large  field  of  humane  labor.  Translations  of  some  of  them  have  been  made 
in  the  French,  German,  Italian,  and  Danish  languages,  and  probably  others. 
They  have  also  been  reprinted  in  India,  Australia,  and  South  Africa. 

It  has  rarely  been  the  good  fortune  of  any  reformers  to  see  so  much 
fruit  from  tlieii  labors  as  have  the  leaders  of  this  merciful  cause  ; but 
as  Mr.  Angell  is  yet  in  full  vigor,  and  much  remains  to'be  done,  we 
may  hope  for  many  years  more  of  active  service  in  its  behalf. 


4 


APPENDIX. 


[From  “ Our  Dumb  Animals,”  January,  1869.] 

THE  MAGNITUDE  OF  OUR  WORK. 

It  is  hardly  possible  for  any  one  not  in  it  to  rightly  estimate  the 
magnitude  of  our  work.  Take  the  city  of  Boston  alone,  and  one  ani- 
mal, the  horse.  Our  courts  are  filled  with  cases  of  assaults  upon 
men  ; but  it  would  be  speaking  far  within  hounds  to  say,  that  for  every 
such  case  there  are  twenty  cases  of  cruel  and  illegal  assaults  upon 
horses.  Take  into  consideration  all  the  overloaded  teams,  the  over- 
loaded omnibuses,  the  overloaded  horse-cars,  the  cases  of  fast  driving, 
over-driving,  overworking,  under-feeding,  neglect  to  water,  neglect  to 
properly  shelter  and  protect  from  the  weather,  tight  check-reins,  sores 
worn  by  harness,  twitchings,  beatings,  kickings,  bad  shoeing,  bad 
pavements,  bad  stables,  bad  feeding,  bad  harness,  bad  grooming,  bad 
drivers,  and  all  the  other  various  forms  of  abuse  to  which  the  horse  is 
subjected.  Then  extend  the  estimate  to  the  whole  wide  circle  of  dumb 
creatures,  and  to  the  whole  three  hundred  and  odd  cities  and  towns 
of  the  State.  Let  it  include  all  the  cattle-trains  on  the  railroads  of 
the  State,  crowded  daily  to  suffocation  with  dumb  creatures,  hungry, 
thirsty,  and  sleepless  ; the  merciless  bleeding  of  calves  ; the  bagging 
of  cows  ; the  starving  at  the  cattle-markets ; the  shearing  of  sheep 
in  cold  weather  before  they  are  sent  to  market ; the  cruel  plucking  of 
live  fowls,  and  their  cruel  transportation  ; the  cruel  transportation 
of  calves  tied;  the  abominable  treatment  of  old  and  worn-out  horses ; 
the  short  feeding  of  cattle  ; the  cruel  methods  of  slaughtering  cattle, 
sheep,  and  swine ; the  cruel  methods  of  killing  poultry  ; the  destruc- 
tion of  useful  birds  ; the  dog-fights  and  cock-fights  in  our  cities ; and 
last,  though  not  least,  the  almost  incalculable  tortures  practised  in  the 
zmnecessary  dissections  of  living  animals.  Sit  down  and  consider 
liow  much  you  have  personally  seen  and  heard  of ; recollect,  that,  of 
what  transpires  in  your  own  city  or  town,  you  do  not  see  or  hear 
of  one  case  in  a thousand ; add  to  the  population  of  jour  own  city  or 
town  the  population  of  the  whole  State.  Recollect  that  the  human 
population  of  the  State  is  outnumbered  twenty  to  one  by  the  great 
animal  population  of  the  State,  which  can  neither  read,  write,  nor 
speak.  Recollect  that  we,  b}T  our  Act  of  incorporation  and  the  sub- 
sequent laws  passed  at  our  request,  have  become  the  legally  author- 
ized guardians  and  protectors  of  this  innumerable  multitude,  bound 
by  our  public  promises  and  declarations,  and  the  position  in  which  we 
stand,  as  well  as  bjr  our  sympathies,  to  do  all  that  lies  in  our  power 
for  their  welfare.  Take  all  these  things  into  consideration,  not  light - 


THE  MAGNITUDE  OF  OUR  WORK . 


o' 


ly , for  the  moment , but  with  thought  and  reflection  ; and  you  may 
then  begin  to  realize  something  of  the  magnitude  of  our  responsibil- 
ities, something  of  the  magnitude  of  the  necessities  of  the  work. 

Nor  is  this  all.  It  strikes  deeper  at  the  foundations  of  society, 
nay,  underlies  farther  the  very  Church  itself , than  the  unreflecting  may 
have  dreamed.  Like  the  Sanitary  and  Christian  Commissions,  it 
forms  a grand  plateau,  on  which  all  good  men  and  women,  of  all 
churches  and  no  church , can  work  together  for  those  things  which 
underlie  every  church.  It  proposes  to  go  into  every  family  of  the 
State,  Protestant,  Catholic,  infidel,  and  atheist  (if  such  there  be), 
and  preach  to  all  and  each  of  them  the  new  evangel,  Peace  on  earth 
and  good-will  to  all  God's  creatures.  When  the  rights  of  dumb  ani- 
mals shall  be  protected,  the  rights  of  human  beings  will  be  safe. 
When  the  children  in  every  home  shall  learn  to  spare  the  useful  bird, 
nor  plunder  its  little  nest,  systems  of  State-prison  discipline  will 
become  less  important. 

About  seven  months  ago  we  opened  our  offices,  and  commenced 
operations  as  a society.  In  the  few  weeks  preceding  we  had  secured 
an  Act  of  incorporation,  the  passage  of  a code  of  laws,  and  an 
organization  numbering,  with  its  patrons,  about  fifteen  hundred. 
We  have  already  established  our  agents  in  many  portions  of  the 
State.  We  have  prosecuted  in  all,  thus  far,  forty-two  cases  of 
cruelty,  and  obtained  thirty-nine  convictions.  We  have  stopped  a 
great  many  cases  by  warning  without  prosecution,  and  a very  large 
number  without  either  warning  or  prosecution.  We  have  secured  the 
purchase  of  public  drinking-fountains  for  Boston.  We  have  aided 
in  getting  an  improved  specimen  car  for  the  transportation  of  cattle, 
put  on  to  one  of  our  railroads.  We  have  printed  three  hundred  and 
thirty  thousand  copies  of  our  paper.  Articles  from  it  have  been  pub- 
lished and  republished  in  the  columns  of  other  papers  all  over  the 
country,  to  the  number  of  hundreds  of  thousands  more. 

Few  societies  in  the  State,  we  think,  ever  did  so  much  in  so  little 
time ; and  yet  we  feel  that  we  have  only  just  begun  to  work. 

Not  until  our  law  shall  have  been  perfected  by  further  legislation 
and  judicial  decisions  ; not  until  our  agents  shall  be  found  in  every 
town  ; not  until  the  rich  shall  give  from  their  abundance  in  streams 
rather  than  driblets,  and  the  poor  according  to  their  ability  ; not  until 
the  pulpit  and  the  press,  those  tremendous  engines  of  good  or  evil , 
shall  speak  plainly  in  our  behalf  ; not  until  our  paper,  or  its  equiva- 
lent, shall  be  read  in  every  school  of  the  State,  and  every  school  boy 
and  girl  of  the  State  shall  be  faithfully  instructed  as  to  the  rights  and 
wrongs  of  animals, — not  until  all  these  things  have  been  accom- 


6 


APPENDIX. 


plished,  shall  we  begin  to  feel  that  we  are  properly  coming  up  to  the 
magnitude  of  our  work.  And  then , when  all  these  shall  have  been 
accomplished,  if  there  shall  be  found  in  Massachusetts  {which  may' 
God  grant !)  brains,  hearts,  and  humanity  so  large  that  the  State  can* 
not  give  them  scope,  — why,  the  nation  and  the  world  lie  before  us* 
with  necessities  just  as  great. 


[From  “ Our  Dumb  Animals,”  February,  1869.] 

WILL  IT  PAY? 

We  have  undertaken  a very  great  work,  — no  more  and  no  less  than 
the  guardianship  of  the  great  animal  population  of  the  whole  State,, 
outnumbering  the  human  twenty  to  one  ; a population  with  no  lan- 
guage that  we  can  understand,  that  cannot  testify  in  the  courts,  that, 
is  placed  in  the  absolute  and  unlimited  power  and  control,  not  unfre- 
quently,  of  the  most  ignorant,  violent,  and  debased  of  men. 

A HEAVY  JOB. 

It’s  a heavy  job : we  have  to  deal  not  only  with  private  individuals* 
but  with  great  and  influential  corporations , with  bad  rich  men  as  well 
as  with  bad  poor  men , with  capital  as  well  as  labor;  with  a multitude 
of  cases  which  no  prosecution  can  reach,  as  well  as  those  which  may 
be  checked  by  prosecution.  It’s  a heavy  job  ; and  if  any  man  expects- 
it  to  be  accomplished  with  small  labor  and  a little  money,  he  is  mis- 
taken. It  will  task  the  best  ability  and  the  highest  benevolence  of 
the  State. 

ONLY  ONE  WAY  TO  DO  IT. 

There  is  only  one  way  to  do  it ; and  that  is  to  go  down  to  the 
foundation,  and  build  up.  We  must  educate  the  children.  We  must 
create  a great  public  opinion.  We  must  wake  up  the  pulpit  and  the 
press,  and  scatter  the  literature  of  humanity  until  it  shall  be  read  in 
the  homes,  taught  in  the  schools,  hung  up  on  the  walls,  and  all  the 
children  of  the  State  shall  feel  that  these  animals  have  been  merci- 
fully created  by  our  common  Father,  and  mercifully  given  to  us  to 
use,  but  not  to  abuse.  It’s  a great  work.  Will  it  pay  to  do  it? 

SANITARY  EFFECTS. 

Its  sanitary  effects  will  be,  drinking-fountains  in  our  cities,  water- 
ing-troughs in  the  country,  very  few  cases  of  hydrophobia,  clean  and 
healthy  stables,  no  foul  smells  from  our  slaughtering-houses,  no  nui- 
sances in  the  keeping  of  cattle  and  swine,  wholesome  meats  in  our 
markets,  and  wholesome  milk  on  our  tables. 


WILL  IT  PAY? 


7 


FINANCIAL  EFFECTS. 

Its  financial  effects  will  be,  horses  and  draught-cattle  living  and 
made  useful  to  old  age  ; birds  spared  to  eat  up  insects  and  save  the 
fruit ; no  reduction  in  the  weight  of  animals  by  cruel  transportation  ; 
no  reduction  of  their  capacity  to  labor  by  bad  feeding,  want  of  shel- 
ter, overworking,  or  other  bad  treatment;  the  best  systems  of  food, 
water,  rest,  exercise,  pavements,  harness,  and  care  in  sickness  ; and 
to  teach  that  the  true  economy  is  that  which  shall  keep  animals  in  the 
highest  degree  of  physical  health. 

ft 

MORAL  EFFECTS. 

Its  moral  effects  will  be  the  giving-up  of  dog-fights,  cock-fights, 
cruel  races  against  time  or  for  wagers.  It  will  take  the  fun  out  of 
shooting-matches  and  hunting-matches.  It  will  interfere  with  cattle 
transportation  and  short  feeding,  overloading,  overdriving,  overwork- 
ing, and  every  form  of  abusing.  It  will  substitute  kind  words  for 
. curses,  gentle  treatment  for  violence,  friendly  protection  for  passion- 
ate abuse,  love  for  fear. 


POLITICAL  EFFECTS. 

Last,  hut  not  least , what  will  be  its  political  effects?  We  have  a 
great  country  here,  and  what  is  to  become  of  it  God  only  knows. 
All  the  republics  that  have  preceded  it  have  perished.  Violence, 
fraud,  crime,  and  corruption  are  on  the  increase.  Property  and  life 
are  becoming  insecure. . A government  we  must  have.  Shall  it  be  a 
government  of  wise  laws,  enacted  by  humane  men,  administered  by 
an  incorruptible  judiciaiy,  no  wars  foreign  or  domestic,  peace,  happi- 
ness, and  prosperity  to  all?  Or  shall  it  be  the  strong  arm  of  military 
power,  the  law  of  the  bayonet,  and  a great  standing  army  supported 
by  the  nation  to  keep  the  nation  in  subjection?  One  or  the  other 
we  must  have,  — all  history  shows  it,  — and  upon  the  choice  depends 
our  future.  We  must  multiply  prisons  and  jails,  courts,  judges,  and 
prosecuting-officers,  constabulary,  police,  and  soldiers,  or  we  must 
multiply  churches  and  free  schools,  earnest  home  missions,  and  the 
universal  dissemination  of  a religious  and  humane  literature.  The 
churches  alone  cannot  do  the  work,  for  they  do  not  reach  the  great 
masses  that  need  most  to  be  reached.  The  schools  alone , as  now 
conducted,  will  not  do  it : for  they  teach  the  intellect , rather  than  the 
heart ; their  prize  is  greatness , rather  than  goodness ; and  the  more 
you  educate  the  intellect,  neglecting  the  heart,  the  greater  the  capa- 
city for  evil.  Neither  the  churches  nor  the  schools  have  saved  us 


8 


APPENDIX. 


from  a great  civil  war,  and  the  political  and  financial  corruptions 
growing  out  of  it. 

We  must  have  the  religious,  the  intellectual,  and  the  humane  com- 
bined. The  churches  must  preach  humanity  as  well  as  Christianity,, 
and  the  schools  must  teach  it,  and  the  press  must  carry  it  where 
neither  churches  nor  schools  can.  There  is  no  getting  rid  of  this 
question,  and  we  have  no  time  to  lose.  The  coming  generation  is 
coming  fast ; and  we  must  make  them  good  citizens,  or  they  will  make 
us  a bad  nation.  You  may  go  into  all  the  schools  and  homes  with 
book  and  picture,  and  song  and  story,  and  make  the  children  humane  ; 
or  you  may  cause  them  to  grow  up  cruel,  inhumane,  cultivating  the  bad. 
passions,  and  they  will  avenge  themselves  upon  society.  You  may  take 
the  boy  in  our  streets  to-day,  and  make  him  a great  good  man,  or  you 
may  leave  him  to  become  a great  bad  one  ; but  the  difference  may  be 
the  difference  between  peace  and  war,  national  prosperity  and  na- 
tional ruin.  My  friend,  throw  aside  all  mercy  for  dumb  animals ; 
suppose  there  were  no  law  to  protect  them,  no  penalty  for  their 
abuse,  no  redress  for  them  in  this  world,  and  no  hope  in  the  next ; 
throw  aside  all  sanitary,  financial,  and  moral  considerations  ; sup- 
pose even  that  you  are  an  atheist,  and  do  not  believe  there  ever  was 
a God  : still  I say,  if  you  claim  to  be  a good  citizen,  if  you  regard 
the  future  welfare  of  your  country,  you  must  provide  for  the  humane 
education  of  its  children;  and  that  is  the  grandest  feature  of  our  work . 


[From  “ Boston  Daily  Advertiser,”  August  4,  1877.] 

THE  GREAT  PROBLEM. 

SUGGESTIONS  TOWARD  A SOLUTION  OF  THE  LABOR  QUESTION. 

THE  TEMPORARY  INDUSTRIAL  HOME  — SCHOOL  OF  DOMESTIC  INDUSTRY 

TEMPORARY  EMPLOYMENT  IN  CITIES  AND  TOWNS  — PERMANENT  EM- 
PLOYMENT IN  COLONIES. 

To  the  Editors  of  the  Boston  Daily  Advertiser. 

The  following  was  written  by  me,  previous  to  the  strike,  in  response 
to  the  call  of  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Thompson,  widely  published  a few 
weeks  since.  In  view  of  circumstances  which  have  since  occurred,, 
it  is  thought  better  to  publish  it  now. 

George  T.  Angell. 

Boston,  Aug.  3, 1877. 


THE  LABOR  QUESTION. 


9 


THE  LABOR  QUESTION. 

First,  It  is  not  the  object  of  this  essay,  to  show  how  young  gentle- 
men educated  with  a view  of  becoming  ministers  plenipotentiary  at  a 
foreign  court,  or  young  ladies  educated  to  suppose  that  they  may 
some  day  equal  or  surpass  Margaret  Fuller,  are  to  be  provided  with 
work  consonant  with  these  high  aspirations.  It  is  not  to  show  how 
the  sons  and  daughters  of  hard-working  farmers  and  mechanics  are 
to  live  by  their  wits,  without  physical  labor,  and  have  all  the  luxuries 
which  money  can  command.  It  is  not  to  show  how  a hundred  thou- 
sand persons,  who  have  left  the  farms,  and  crowded  into  the  cities 
wdiere  they  are  not  wanted,  are  to  remain  there  and  prosper : they 
can  go  back  to  the  farms.  It  is  not  to  show  how,  through  industrial 
education,  we  may  have,  twenty  years  hence,  an  unlimited  supply  of 
good  mechanics,  in  place  of  the  present  over-supply  of  poor  ones ; 
or,  how  we  are  to  prevent  the  coming  of  ten  millions  of  Chinese, 
with  their  cliop-sticks,  to  feed  on  rice  and  rats,  and  compete  with 
American  labor. 

I do  not  propose  to  suggest  an}T  new  methods  of  dealing  with  the 
sick  poor,  or  with  orphan  children.  They  must  be  provided  for 
hereafter,  I think,  as  heretofore,  in  hospitals  and  homes  supported 
by  public  and  private  charity.  When  sanitary  science  shall  be  taught 
in  our  public  schools ; when  cesspools  and  other  deposits  of  filth  are 
not  permitted  to  drain  into  wells  ; when  poisonous  cooking-dishes 
and  wall-papers,  and  adulterated  articles  of  food,  are  driven  out  of 
our  markets  ; when  the  laws  of  ventilation  and  cleanliness  are  better 
understood  by  the  poor,  — then  the  burden  of  supporting  the  sick 
poor  will  be  much  diminished. 

Doubtless  in  our  large  cities  there  is  some  destitution  amongst 
healthy  unmarried  women,  though  I think  it  is  comparatively  small. 
To  relieve  this,  I would  have  established,  in  our  cities  and  larger 
towns,  “temporary  industrial  homes,”  the  doors  of  which,  upon  the 
two  conditions  of  cleanliness  and  good  behavior,  should  be  open  day 
and  night  to  every  poor  woman  needing  shelter  and  advice.  Each 
should  find  there  a clean  bed,  plain  fare,  and  some  temporary  em- 
ployment. Connected  with  these  I would  have  schools  of  “ domestic 
industry,”  where  every  woman  can  be  taught  gratuitously  all  branches 
of  housework,  and  perhaps  the  cutting  and  making  ^of  men’s, 
women’s,  and  children’s  clothing.  Women  should  be  permitted  to 
remain  there,  with  very  plain  fare  and  clothing,  until  competent  to 
take  care  of  themselves,  or  until  places  should  be  provided  for  them. 

My  belief  is.  that  there  are  thousands  of  single  men  in  moderate 


10 


APPENDIX. 


circumstances  in  this  country,  living  in  boarding-houses  and  restau- 
rants, who  would  be  glad  to  marry  poor  girls  thoroughly  conversant 
with  all  branches  of  domestic  industry,  and  willing  to  work.  My 
belief  is*  that  there  are  hundreds  of  thousands  of  families  who 
would  be  glad  to  obtain  at  fair  wages,  either  as  servants  or  ••  lady 
helpers,’'  women  of  this  description.  My  belief  is,  that  no  healthy 
woman*  thoroughly  understanding  housework,  laundry- work,  or  the 
cutting  and  making  of  men’s,  women’s,  and  children’s  clothing,  need 
suffer  in  this  country  for  want  of  food  and  shelter.  If  girls  or  single 
women  will  not  obtain  this  education  when  freely  offered,  — prefer- 
ring to  run  sewing-machines,  or  stand  all  day  behind  shop-counters, 
at  starvation  prices, — then  they  must  take  the  consequences  until 
they  are  brought  by  sickness  to  the  hospitals,  or  by  common-sense 
to  the  4i4' industrial  temporary  home”  and  the  44  school  of  domestic 
industry.” 

But  to  young  single  men  coming  into  manhood  without  pecuniary 
meanS,  and  to  married  men  with  wives  and  families  dependent  upon 
their  labor,  the  existing  state  of  things  presents  a more  serious  as- 
pect. Owing  to  the  unparalleled  growth  of  invention  in  almost  every 
department  of  mechanical,  industry,  by  which,  in  many  cases,  one 
man  is  now  doing,  with  the  machine,  what  two,  three,  or  four  did 
without  it,  hundreds  of  thousands  of  healthy  men,  willing  to  work, 
are  either  wholly  or  part  of  the  time  out  of  employment,  or  com- 
pelled to  labor  at  prices  which  are  barely  sufficient  to  sustain  life. 

There  is  no  reason  to  suppose  that  we  have  reached  the  end  of 
these  inventions.  There  is  every  reason  to  suppose  that  ten  years 
hence  the  machine  will  do  more  work,  and  the  man  less , than  at  pres- 
ent. It  is  no  wonder  that  to  many  the  future  should  seem  dark,  and 
the  terrible  alternatives  of  crime,  starvation,  or  suicide  nearer  than 
ever  before.  44  Yesterday,”  says  a Boston  paper,  44  the  police  found 
on  the  street  a man  in  a fainting  condition.  He  was  taken  to  the 
Massachusetts  General  Hospital,  where  it  was  found  that  the  cause 
was  leant  of  food.  He  was  a cabinet-maker,  and  for  weeks  had  been 
walking  the  city  in  search  of  work,  living  on  short  allowance,  until 
he  fell  unconscious  on  the  sidewalk.  He  is  in  a critical  condition, 
and  has  a sick  wife  and  three  children.”  44  Lawrence  Malm,”  says 
another  Boston  paper,  44  a machinist,  unemploj'ed  and  discouraged, 
committed  suicide  this  morning.  He  leaves  a wife  and  children.” 
From  January,  1875,  to  October,  1870,  four  hundred  and  sixty-eight 
dead  bodies,  which  could  not  be  identified,  were  taken  from  the 
waters  about  New-York  City,  and  buried  as  unknown. 

These  are  solitary  facts,  illustrating  a condition  of  things  which 


THE  LABOR  QUESTION. 


11 


now  exists  on  a large  scale  in  the  cities  and  towns  of  this  country. 
There  are  few  persons  familiar  with  charitable  work  in  our  cities  and 
larger  towns,  but  could  furnish  a list  of  names,  within  their  personal 
knowledge,  of  those  who  are  not  able  to  obtain  work. 

It  was  the  object  of  the  kind-hearted  lady  offering  these  prizes  to 
ascertain,  and  it  is  the  object  of  this  essay  to  show,  how  this  class 
of  persons  may  be  kept  from  suicide,  starvation,  and  crime.  In  some 
of  our  cities  are  already  established  “ temporary  industrial  homes*' 
for  poor  men,  where  each  may  obtain  lodging  for  a night  or  two, 
and  something  to  eat,  paying  a small  sum  either  in  money  or  labor. 
There  should  be  such  places  in  all  our  cities  and  larger  towns  ; plain 
fare,  a bath-tub,  clean  beds,  to  be  paid  for  in  work,  even  if  it  be  no 
more  profitable  than  the  carrying  of  bricks  from  one  extremity  of  a 
yard  to  another. 

Second , I hold  that  every  city  and  town  should  be  prepared  at 
all  times  to  furnish  temporary  work,  at  low  wages,  to  those  who  are 
not  able  to  obtain  better  work  elsewhere;  because  men  must  live, 
and  it  is  better  that  they  should  live  by  earning  than  by  begging  or 
stealing. 

Saying  nothing  of  the  humanitarian  aspects  of  the  case,  it  is 
cheaper  to  provide  even  unprofitable  labor  than  to  build  and  sustain 
prisons  and  almshouses.  In  many  of  our  cities  and  towns,  public 
improvements  are  needed ; and  this  labor  could  be  made  profitable. 
Wherever  work  is  provided,  tramps  and  able-bodied  beggars  can  be 
immediately  employed,  and  will  have  no  excuse  for  begging. 

But  how  shall  we  provide  permanent  work  for  our  unemployed 
able-bodied  men?  I answer:  There  is  but  one  way,  under  the  exist- 
ing state  of  things,  to  do  it.  They  must  go  on  to  and  till  the  soil. 
No  trade  is  so  easily  learned  as  that  of  a farmer.  To  plough  and 
plant  and  hoe  and  sow  and  gather,  are  things  not  difficult  to  un- 
derstand. Put  ten  thousand  people  — whether  the}'  be  liberated 
slaves  such  as  were  sent  to  Liberia,  or  North-American  Indians 
such  as  may  be  found  on  some  of  our  “ reservations,’ ' or  Mormons 
such  as  settled  Salt  Lake  City  — on  fertile  lands,  give  them  domestic 
animals,  implements,  seeds,  provisions,  and  they  will  live,  and  have 
plenty  of  work.  The  same  will  hold  true,  whether  the  number  be 
greater  or  less.  Several  agricultural  colonies  for  the  poor  were 
founded  in  Holland  more  than  fifty  years  ago.  They  have  proved  a 
success,  and  have  saved  large  numbers  from  misery  and  crime.  We 
have  millions  of  acres  of  cheap  and  fertile  lauds  at  the  West  and 
South,  near  railroads,  standing  idle- 

Therefore,  I say,  establish  colonies.  Put  these  unemployed  men 


12 


APPENDIX. 


on  alternate  quarter-sections  of  land  ; put  up  for  them  small  houses, 
mills,  shops,  a savings  bank,  and  halls  to  be  used  for  schools  week- 
days, for  religious  instruction  Sundays,  and  for  moral  and  interest- 
ing amusements  and  instruction  evenings ; furnish  them  tools, 
transportation,  money;  and  give  each  who  desires  it  a conditional 
deed  of  his  lands  and  buildings,  which  on  the  payment  of  what  has 
been  advanced,  with  interest,  shall  vest  in  him  a good  title,  provided 
he  shall  have  sustained  a good  character.  Judging  from  the  experi- 
ence of  past  colonies,  there  is  no  reason  why  most  of  these  men  who 
are  willing  and  able  to  work  should  not,  under  this  system,  become  in 
a few  years  married  men,  tax-paying  citizens,  and  owners  of  house 
and  land.  This  would  be  no  new  or  doubtful  experiment.  From 
the  origin  of  man  to  the  present  time,  labor  has  sought  and  found 
new  channels  through  colonization.  From  the  settlement  of  the 
Pilgrims  at  Plymouth,  and  of  a different  class  at  Jamestown,  the 
history  of  this  country  has  been  a history  of  successful  colonization. 
No  intelligent  person  can  for  a moment  doubt  that  the  country  is 
abundantly  able  to  sustain,  and  some  day  will  sustain,  from  four  to 
twenty  or  more  times  its  present  population,  and  the  millions  of 
fertile  acres  now  unbroken  will  be  covered  with  productive  farms. 
That  there  may  be  no  chance  in  these  colonies  for  fraud,  speculation, 
or  trickery,  either  financial  or  political,  they  should  be  established 
and  managed,  as  in  Holland,  by  charitable  societies  formed  for  that 
purpose,  under  the  direction  of  able,  honest,  and  judicious  men,  with 
private  funds  and  such  assistance  as  national  and  state  governments 
may  be  induced  to  grant.  The  settlement  of  Kansas  was  largely  the 
result  of  the  “Kansas  Aid  Society”  of  Massachusetts.  There 
ought  to  be  in  every  State  plenty  of  citizens  able  and  willing  to 
undertake  this  work. 

If  it  be  said  that  we  cannot  afford  to  provide  labor  for  the  unem- 
ployed, and  to  establish  these  colonists,  then  I answer  (1st)  : We  can- 
not afford  not  to.  There  were  about  ten  thousand  criminals  in  the 
various  prisons  of  Massachusetts  in  1865.  There  were  more  than 
twenty  thousand  in  1875.  In  1876  the  average  percentage  was  still 
higher.  From  the  article  of  D.  A.  Wells,  in  the  July,  1877,  “ North 
American,”  it  appears  that  the  recipients  of  public  charity  in  Massa- 
chusetts have  increased  about  fifty  per  cent  since  1873.  The 
“Massachusetts  State  Board  of  Charities,”  in  their  1876  report, 
estimate  that  organized  charitable  societies  of  Massachusetts  are  now 
expending  annually  not  less  than  two  million  five  hundred  thousand 
dollars  for  the  poor.  Statistics  of  other  States  show  a similar  in- 
crease of  poverty  and  crime. 


THE  LABOR  QUESTION. 


IB 


Some  time  since,  I was  shown  a letter  from  a convict,  discharged 
from  the  Massachusetts  State  Prison,  in  which  he  expressed  a strong 
desire  to  “ get  in  again;  ” because,  said  he,  “lam  a good  deal  better 
off  inside  than  out.”  “ A criminal  on  the  way  to  the  galloWs,”  says 
“The  Pittsburg  Commercial,”  remarked  to  those  in  charge  of  him, 
“ If  I had  received  one-half  the  kindness  earlier  which  I now  receive 
here,  I should  never  have  been  here.” 

And  (2d)  I answer : If  these  colonies  are  well  managed  by  compe- 
tent and  honest  men,  of  whom  I think  we  still  have  a considerable 
stock  in  the  country,  there  is  no  reason  why  the  sums  paid  back  by 
the  colonists  in  purchase  of  their  buildings  and  lands,  together  with 
sums  received  for  the  alternate  reserved  quarter-sections  and  lots, 
should  not  pay  eventually  the  whole,  or  nearly  the  whole,  expense  of 
the  colonization,  and  so  make  the  cost  little  or  nothing  of  transform- 
ing thousands  of  our  able-bodied  poor,  liable  to  become  criminals, 
into  productive,  law-abiding  citizens.  Under  this  system,  able-bodied 
men  and  women  would  have  no  excuse  for  begging.  They  would  be 
referred  at  once  to  the  “ Temporary  Industrial  Home,”  the  “ School 
of  Industry,”  the  city  or  town  employment-office,  or  the  “ Colony  ; ” 
and  all  found  begging,  who  should  refuse  these  provisions,  might 
justly  and  properly  be  arrested  as  vagrants,  and  compelled  to  earn 
their  living  by  some  kind  of  physical  labor. 

This  is  the  plan.  How  can  it  be  carried  out?  I answer:  Not  by 
individual  talking,  preaching,  or  writing.  These  simply  prepare  the 
way.  It  must  be  accomplished,  as  all  other  great  political,  religious, 
and  humane  movements  are,  by  organized  action.  If  we  seek  to 
prevent  poverty  and  crime,  the  first  step  is  to  form  in  our  cities  and 
larger  towns  organizations  for  the  purpose  of  preventing  them  ; which 
organizations  I would  call  “societies  for  the  prevention  of  poverty 
and  crime.”  They  should  be  composed  of  both  men  and  women. 
On  their  boards  of  directors  should  be  both  men  and  women.  They 
should  have,  as  other  organizations  have,  offices,  and  paid  officers 
constantly  employed.  They  should  gather  and  publish  facts,  — go 
before  city  and  town  authorities,  and  State  governments,  and,  if 
necessary,  before  Congress,  with  petitions  and  arguments,  and  in  all 
practical  ways  labor  to  carry  out  the  purposes  for  which  they  are 
formed. 

They  should  have  the  aid  of  the  churches.  They  should  be  sus- 
tained, as  the  Sanitary  and  Christian  Commissions  were,  by  all  good 
people,  whether  in  churches  or  out,  who  are  able  to  take  a share  of 
stock  in  a colon}7,  or  contribute  a dollar  to  aid  the  poor ; for  there  is. 
not  a man  or  woman  in  this  country,  who  owns  house  or  land  or  even 


14 


APPENDIX. 


a savings-bank  book,  who  has  not  a vital  interest  in  this  question  of 
the  increase  of  poverty  and  crime. 

But  suppose  we  do  nothing : what  then  ? I answer : It  is  known 
that  in  many  of  our  large  cities,  and  probably  in  all,  there  are  organ- 
ized societies  of  criminals.  The  same  is  true  of  many  of  our  coun- 
try towns.  I suppose  these  societies  will  increase.  In  a paper  read 
at  the  annual  meeting  of  the  u American  Social  Science  Association  ” 
last  fall,  it  was  shown  that  there  were  then  about  a hundred  thousand 
communists  in  this  country,  with  six  or  more  newspapers.  I suppose 
they  will  increase.  Great  secret  organizations  against  capital  are 
springing  up  all  over  the  country,  — “labor  leagues,”  “leagues” 
of  engineers,  of  firemen,  of  trainmen,  Crispins,  iron-hearts,  Molly 
Maguires,  and  perhaps  fifty  others.  I suppose  they  will  increase. 
I suppose  we  shall  have  to  build  more  prisons,  and  larger  ones.  We 
shall  have  to  increase  the  number  of  judges,  and  emplo3T  more  police. 
We  shall  have  to  keep  a larger  army,  perhaps  more  ships  of  war. 

We  shall  have  to  pay  heavier  taxes.  And,  after  all,  I suspect  we 
shall  have  more  thefts,  robberies,  murders,  incendiary  fires ; more 
ships  blown  up,  or  buildings  tumbled  down,  by  dynamite  explosions. 
As  the  number  of  our  mechanics  and  laborers  out  of  employment 
shall  increase,  and  it  becomes  a choice  with  them  between  suicide, 
starvation,  and  crime,  I suspect  we  shall  have  to  be  more  careful 
about  our  policies  of  insurance. 

Not  long  since,  I remarked  to  a gang  of  laborers  at  work  on  a 
building  which  seemed  to  stand  on  a poor  foundation,  that  I feared 
a shock  of  an.  earthquake  would  tumble  down  half  the  citj'.  One  of 
them  instantly  replied,  “I  wish  it  would,  sir:  then  we  should  have 
work.”  The  Jews  take  good  care  of  their  poor.  It  has  been  more 
than  two  hundred  years  since  a Jew  was  hung  in  England,  and  then 
only  for  forgery. 

Finally,  I have  now  stated,  within  the  limits  prescribed,  the  con- 
clusions to  which  I have  come  after  some  years  of  thought.  The 

temporary  industrial  home,”  “ the  school  of  domestic  industry ,” 
temporary  employment  by  cities  and  towns,  and  permanent  employment 
in  colonies.  The  means  of  attaining  these  ends,  — organizations,  as 
before  stated,  formed  for  the  purpose  ; to  the  first  of  which,  formed 
in  my  own  city,  I shall  be  happy  to  give  a sum  equivalent  to  the 
highest  prize  offered  for  these  essays.  If  these  plans  shall  be  deemed 
by  the  judges  worthy  of  publication,  and  good  shall  result  therefrom, 
I shall  be  glad.  If  other  plans  shall  be  thought  better,  and  more 
good  shall  result  therefrom,  I shall  be  more  glad. 


Liteka* 


THE  NE  W-EN GLAND  ASSEMBLY. 


15 


[In  Tremont  Temple,  Oct.  19,  1881. J 

Nor  shall  I speak  to  you  this  evening  about  the  immortality  of 
animals,  believed  in  by  more  than  half  the  human  race.  The  fact  isT 
we  have  about  as  much  as  we  can  attend  to,  to  look  after  their  mor- 
tality, without  discussing  much  the  question  of  their  immortality.  I 
don’t  know  whether  they  are  immortal  or  not : but  I do  know  that  away 
back  in  the  Book  of  Genesis  I find  that  u God  made  the  cattle;  ” in 
another  place,  “ God  remembered  the  cattle;  ” in  another,  “ He  caused 
the  grass  to  grow  for  the  cattle ;”  and  in  another,  “ The  cattle  on  cc. 
thousand  hills  are  his.’ ’ Now,  if  we  are  taking  care  of  God’s  cattle y 
are  we,  or  are  we  not,  in  his  service  — just  as  truly  as  the  minister 
who  preaches  the  gospel,  just  as  truly  as  the  one  who  goes  missionary 
to  the  heathen?  And  do  you  think,  in  the  day  of  final  account,  when 
we  stand  before  the  bar  of  infinite  justice  to  answer  for  deeds  done 
in  the  body,  God  will  forget  the  men  who  took  care  of  his  cattle,  or 
the  women  who  took  care  of  his  cattle?  Or  will  he  say  to  them„ 
“ Inasmuch  as  ye  have  done  it  unto  the  least  of  these  my  creatures , 
ye  have  done  it  also  unto  me  ’ ’ ? 

My  friends,  carry  these  thoughts  home  with  you  to-night,  and  con- 
sider what  you  can  say  or  do  to  help  God’s  cattle ; and  if  you  can  say 
any  thing,  say  it ; and  if  you  can  do  any  thing,  do  it ; and  thank  God 
that  you  have  come  to  this  meeting  to-night,  to  learn,  perhaps  for  the 
first  time  in  your  life,  a new  way  of  serving  him  by  taking  care  of  his 
cattle. 

[Before  the  New-England  Assembly,  Aug.  31,  1882.] 

The  suppression  of  the  slave-trade,  the  abolition  of  slavery,  the 
growth  of  free  government,  the  elevation  of  labor,  the  coming-up 
of  woman  towards  equal  rights  with  man,  the  greater  care  for  the 
insane,  the  improvements  in  prisons  and  penitentiaries,  the  laws 
enacted  and  societies  formed  to  protect  dumb  beasts  from  cruelty , 
and  now  the  “Bands  of  Mercy,”  spreading  into  churches  of  all 
religious  denominations  and  into  all  grades  of  schools,  to  train  the 
children  of  this,  and  perhaps  of  other  nations,  in  thoughts  and  habits 
of  mercy,  — are  all  indications  that  the  human  race  is  moving  up- 
ward from  a lower  to  a higher  civilization. 


What  is  the  pledge  of  this  new  order  of  Christian  chivalry? 

“ 1 will  try  to  be  kind  to  all  harmless  living  creatures , and  try  to 
protect  them  from  cruel  usage.” 

It  includes  all  defenceless  human  as  well  as  animal  life,  and  strikes 


16 


APPENDIX. 


at  every  form  of  cruelty,  whether  it  be  on  the  cattle-train,  the  battle- 
field, or  from  the  intoxicating  cup. 

The  knights  of  Old,  standing  before  the  altars  in  those  great 
cathedrals  of  Europe,  swore  to  rescue  the  holy  sepulchre  from  the 
infidel. 

We  propose  to  array  the  kuights  of  New,  — now  in  the  schools  and 
Sunday  schools  of  all  nations,  — to  fight  under  the  same  old  banner 
of  the  cross  ; not  for  a dead  sepulchre,  but  for  a living  Christianity  ; 
a Christianity  which  shall  abolish  cruelty  and  crime  and  wars,  and 
every  form  of  violence,  and  usher  in  that  millennial  age  sung  by 
poets,  foretold  by  prophets,  and  heard  by  shepherds  on  the  plains  of 
Judaea. 

[From  “ Our  Dumb  Animals,”  January,  1884.] 

TRANSPORTATION,  SLAUGHTERING,  VIVISECTION,  AND  TREAT- 
MENT OF  ANIMALS  IN  WINTER. 

We  think,  first,  that 

TRANSPORTATION, 

as  now  conducted,  is  probably  the  greatest  cruelty  inflicted  on  ani- 
mals in  this  country.  It  has  been  conclusively  shown,  that  hundreds 
of  thousands  have  annually  died  on  the  passage.  Probably  much  of 
this  meat  finds  its  way  into  our  markets.  Other  hundreds  of  thou- 
sands come  out  of  the  cars  wounded,  tired,  thirsty,  hungry,  and  dis- 
eased. All  this  meat  comes  into  our  markets.  This  whole  matter  is 
in  the  control  of  our  great  railway  corporations,  which  are  controlled 
by  men  presumably  as  humane  as  the  average  of  their  fellow-citizens. 

We  think  the  proper  course  for  our  humane  societies  is  to  employ 
reliable  men  to  travel  over  the  railroads  where  abuses  are  most  likely 
to  occur,  and  carefully  gather  and  report  facts.  With  these  facts,  let 
an  influential  deputation  call  upon  the  officers  of  the  roads  ; and  in 
nine  cases  out  of  ten  we  think  orders  would  be  sent  out  from  head- 
quarters which  would  accomplish  more  in  a fortnight  to  relieve  the 
sufferings  of  animals  than  ten  years’  litigation. 

Second,  we  think  that 

SLAUGHTERING, 

as  now  conducted  in  many  parts  of  our  country,  probably  comes  next 
to  transportation,  in  cruelty.  In  some,  perhaps  many,  of  our  large 
abattoirs,  large  numbers  of  animals  are  compelled  to  stand  waiting 
their  turn,  and  witness  the  killing  and  dressing  of  those  that  precede 
them.  Of  course  many  of  them  are  in  a frenzy  of  terror,  and  in 
this  condition  are  killed  with  great  cruelty.  Now,  every  animal  can 


VIVISECTION. 


17 


be,  and  ought  to  be,  slaughtered  without  foreknowledge,  and  almost 
without  pain.  A large  part  of  the  cattle  now  slaughtered  in  Massa- 
chusetts are  killed  instantly  by  a single  bullet  in  the  head.  We  think 
that  all  our  humane  societies  should  first  employ  reliable  persons  to 
find  out  and  report  just  how  animals  are  now  slaughtered  in  their 
respective  jurisdictions  ; and  with  these  facts  influential  deputations 
should  meet  the  principal  butchers,  and  consult  in  regard  to  the 
adoption  of  the  most  improved  methods  now  practised. 

Third,  we  think 

VIVISECTION 

is  a question  to  be  squarely  met.  We  have  seen  it  stated  in  news- 
papers, that  one  man  in  Ohio  has  already  taken  the  lives  of  nearly 
three  thousand  animals  in  his  various  experiments  ; and  we  have  been 
told  by  one  of  the  most  eminent  surgeons  of  Massachusetts,  a pro- 
fessor of  surgery,  that  not  one  important  useful  fact  has  thus  far,  to 
his  knowledge,  been  discovered  in  America  by  vivisection.  What 
ought  our  societies  to  do?  It  will  probably  take  years  to  enact  laws 
in  this  country  prohibiting  vivisection,  and  perhaps  years  before  laws 
can  be  enacted  to  limit  it.  And,  after  the  laws  are  enacted,  what 
then  ? 

Animals  cannot  testify,  and  no  man  can  be  made  to  criminate 
himself.  Under  these  circumstances  it  would  be  extremely  difficult 
to  obtain  evidence.  If  our  medical  men  believe  that  vivisection  is 
essential  to  medical  progress,  we  think  that  students  would  practise 
it  without  regard  to  what  they  would  consider  an  unwise  law  ; and 
animals  would  not  be  helped. 

What  can  our  societies  do?  We  know  of  no  reason  why  physi- 
cians and  surgeons  should  be  less  humane  than  other  citizens.  Some 
of  them,  we  know,  are  among  the  best  and  noblest  of  men.  A few 
words  against  vivisection  from  the  more  eminent  would,  in  our  judg- 
ment, do  more  to  stop  it  than  any  law  we  can  enact.  I think,  there- 
fore, we  should  call  upon  them  to  do  all  in  their  power  to  stop 
vivisection,  or  to  confine  it  within  the  narrowest  and  most  merciful 
limits.  Let  us  ask  their  counsel  and  advice  ; and,  if  unscrupulous 
and  unmerciful  men  of  the  profession  cannot  be  otherwise  controlled, 
then  let  us  ask  a law  which  shall  be  approved  by  the  more  eminent 
and  humane,  and  ask  them  to  aid  us  in  enforcing  it. 

Let  our  societies  in  this  matter  consult  the  best  and  most  humane 
of  the  profession,  and,  until  it  can  be  plainly  shown  they  are  in  error, 
act  upon  their  advice.  We  think  this  question  should  not  be  ignored 
by  our  societies,  but,  on  the  contrary,  that  most  carefully  selected  and 
judicious  committees  should  be  appointed  to  take  it  in  charge. 


18 


APPENDIX. 


Fourth, 

TREATMENT  OF  ANIMALS  IN  WINTER. 

Many  thousands  of  cattle  die  on  our  Western  plains  every  winter, 
from  starvation  and  want  of  shelter.  A correspondent  of  “The 
New- York  Sun,”  after  giving  a most  painful  description  of  their  suf- 
ferings, declares  that  more  cruelty  is  practised  there  in  a single  day 
than  in  all  our  cities  in  a whole  year.  We  know  of  but  one  remedy 
that  can  reach  our  Western  plains,  and  that  is  humane  education . 
There  are  undoubtedly  tens  of  thousands  of  animals,  even  in  our 
Eastern  cities  and  towns,  kept  every  winter  in  a state  of  semi-starva- 
tion, which,  as  the  poor  creatures  cannot  testify,  it  is  almost  impos- 
sible to  prove.  Indeed,  the  very  man  whom  we  fine  for  beating  his 
old  horse,  which  perhaps  he  bought  for  five  dollars,  may  half  starve 
him  all  winter  to  pay  the  fine,  and  we  cannot  prove  it.  And  this 
brings  me  to  say,  that  the  only  thing  we  can  depend  upon,  after  all, 
to  effectually  protect  animals  from  cruelty,  is  humane  education.  For 
every  case  of  cruelty  prevented  by  prosecution,  a thousand  at  least 
may  be  prevented  by  humane  education;  and  the  grandest  feature  of 
our  work  is  that  by  which  we  are  now  planting  our  Bands  of  Mercy, 
and  sending  our  humane  teachings  not  alone  through  our  own  Com- 
monwealth, but  to  Georgia,  Alabama,  Texas,  Indian  Territory,  Cali- 
fornia, and  Oregon.  Our  humane  societies  are  now  sowing  the  seed 
of  a harvest  which  will  one  of  these  days  protect  not  only  the  birds  of 
the  air  and  beasts  of  the  field,  but  also  human  beings  as  well. 


[From  June,  1884,  “ Our  Dumb  Animals.”] 

OUR  BAND-OF-MERCY  BADGE. 

DO  NOT  THINK  LIGHTLY  OF  IT. 

It  is  not  expensive.  It  costs  but  a few  cents.  But  it  is  not  there- 
fore the  less  valuable.  Some  of  you  have  bits  of  ribbon,  locks  of 
hair,  little  pictures  that  cost  but  little : }Tet  when  you  look  at  them 
they  bring  joy  or  sadness,  — sometjmes  tears  to  your  eyes,  and 
sometimes  hopes  as  broad  as  eternity  to  your  hearts. 

Our  country’s  flag,  looked  at  one  way,  is  only  a bit  of  bunting ; 
but  another,  it  represents  a nation  of  fifty  millions  of  free  men, 
whose  poorest  boy  may  become  its  foremost  citizen. 

The  cross  on  which  Christ  was  crucified  probably  cost  in  those 
days  but  a few  pennies ; but  for  more  than  a thousand  years,  in 
and  over  every  cathedral  of  the  world,  and  wherever  on  every  conti- 
nent and  island  of  the  ocean  church-bells  have  rung  and  church- 
spires  pointed  heavenward,  the  cross  has  stood,  and  now  stands,  — 


MY  CANARY  BIRD. 


19 


“ Towering  o’er  the  wrecks  of  time, 

All  the  light  of  sacred  story 
Gathered  round  its  head  sublime.” 

Let  no  one  think  lightly  of  a badge  which  bears  such  inscriptions 
as,  “ Glory  to  God,”  “ Peace  on  Earth,”  “ Good-will  to  AU,”  because 
it  costs  but  little.  It  is  the  symbol  of  the  rising  of  another  Star  of 
Bethlehem  to  shed  healing  light  on  the  nations,  and  on  all  God’s 
dumb  creatures  as  well. 

I write  the  above  with  the  hope  that  teachers  will  take  special 
care  to  impress  upon  their  children  the  value  of  their  badges,  — 
what  they  mean,  and  the  care  which  should  be  taken  to  preserve 
them. 


(From  “ Our  Dumb  Animals,”  July,  1882.) 

MY  CANARY  BIRD. 

A Baltimore  lady  asks  me  to  say  something  for  caged  canary 
birds  kept  in  the  hot  sun,  neglected  and  suffering. 

I believe  that  cruelty  to  a caged  bird  is  a sin  in  the  sight  of  God ; 
and  if  those  who  do  it,  or  permit  it,  are  not  somewhere  held 
accountable,  there  is  no  such  thing  as  justice. 

I have  a canary  myself.  I would  not  take  a thousand  dollars  for 
him  if  I could  not  get  another.  I permit  him  to  fly  about  our 
rooms  several  hours  a day.  I don’t  starve  him  on  poor  canary-seed  ; 

I feed  him  what  I think  he  would  like  if  he  could  help  himself 
— crumbs  of  coarse  bread  and  flour  bread,  crackers,  fruit,  lettuce, 
chick  weed;  and  he  takes  just  what  he  likes,  and  refuses  what  he 
doesn’t  like,  and  is  tough  and  strong  and  happy  as  a bird  can  be.  I 
have  had  him  now  going  on  three  years.  He  plays  with  me,  comes 
to  my  fingers,  shoulders,  head.  I chase  him,  and  he  chases  me,  and 
sings  little  songs  of  triumph  when  I fail  to  catch  him.  I never 
leave  him  in  the  hot  sun.  I never  hang  him  up  in  a hot  room  to 
suffer  and  wilt.  I never  put  him  in  a cold  room  to  shiver.  If  he 
were  sad  I should  be  sad ; and  if  he  should  sicken  and  die,  I should  # 
shed  more  tears  than  I should  over  some  of  those  who  abuse  little 
birds  and  other  so-called  dumb  creatures.  I make  him  very  happy 
when  he  is  caged,  by  giving  him  a little  mirror,  which  I so  hang 
that  the  sun  or  lights  shall  not  dazzle  him.  When  I want  him  to 
stop  singing,  I always  give  him  the  mirror,  and  he  will  stand  and 
look  at  his  pretty  self  hours  together,  and  keep  perfectly  quiet. 

He  sings  in  the  morning  his  happy  song  of  thanksgiving,  and 


20 


APPENDIX. 


just  before  sundown  his  evening  hymn,  and  sometimes  later  I hear 
his  soft,  sweet  notes,  as  though  he  were  saying  his  little  prayer  to 
his  Maker  and  mine. 

As  I believe  in  an  omniscient  God,  without  whose  knowledge  not 
a sparrow  falls  to  the  ground,  so  I believe  that  I shall  be  held 
accountable  for  the  happiness  or  unhappiness  I may  bring  into  this 
little  bird-life  that  God  has  kindly  given  to  make  my  life  happier. 


(From  “ Our  Dumb  Animals,”  August,  1884.) 

WE  HAVE  LOST  A FRIEND. 

The  readers  of  “ Our  Dumb  Animals,”  and  of  the  “ Twelve  Lessons 
on  Kindness,”  will  remember  that  the  editor  of  this  paper  has  not 
unfrequently  spoken  of  his  canary,  — a bird  of  most  beautiful  plu- 
mage and  wonderful  melody  : so  intelligent  that  it  would  follow  us 
from  room  to  room,  come  at  our  call,  and  call  us  in  return ; stand 
on  our  hand  as  we  read  the  daily  morning  paper ; at  other  times,  on 
our  head,  or  shoulder,  or  inkstand  when  writing;  welcome  us  when 
we  came  home,  look  sad  when  we  went  away ; play  “ hide-and-go- 
seek”  with  us;  sing  a .remarkable  variety  of' rich  notes,  mornings, 
evenings,  and  through  the  day;  or  stop  singing,  and  stand  quietly 
watching  us  for  hours,  when  with  almost  or  quite  human  intelli- 
gence it  seemed  to  know  that  our  thoughts  were  otherwise  occupied. 
It  filled  our  home-life  with  kind  words,  and  acts,  and  sunshine,  and 
brought  happiness  to  hundreds  of  others  who  have  known  it.  But 
yesterday,  in  our  chamber  at  the  seaside,  while  Mrs.  A.’s  back  was 
turned  for  a minute,  a cat  stealthily  crept  into  the  room,  sprang 
upon  her  sewing-table,  where  the  bird,  which  she  had  just  been 
talking  to,  was  standing,  in  one  instant  tore  off  half  its  beautiful 
plumage,  and  in  another  rushed  with  it  in  her  mouth  to  the  attic, 
and  behind  timbers,  where  pursuit  was  impossible.  If  the  cat  had 
destroyed  a thousand  dollars’  worth  of  our  property,  we  should  have 
considered  the  loss  comparatively  small. 

• We  write  these  lines  with  tears  in  our  eyes  and  sadness  in  all  our 
hearts. 

What  there  is  beyond  the  dark  river,  we  know  not ; but  we  hum- 
bly hope  this  little  bird-life,  which  has  brought  so  much  happiness 
into  our  home  during  the  past  five  years,  may  not  have  gone  out 
forever. 


HOW  CAN  WE  STOP  WARS? 


21 


(From  “Our  Dumb  Animals,”  August,  1884.) 

ONE  OF  THE  BEST  FRIENDS  OF  OUR  CAUSE 

writes  us  in  warm  praise  of  our  little  paper,  but  suggests  that  pos- 
sibly, to  please  some  readers,  we  give  a little  too  much  space  to 
“ Bands  of  Mercy.”  We  answer,  that  the  object  of  its  editor  (now 
in  his  sixty-second  year)  in  giving  his  time,  thoughts,  labor,  and 
money  — summer  and  winter,  Sundays  and  week-days  — with  hardly 
any  vacation  — to  our  humane  work,  is  not  to  protect  dumb  animals 
or  human  beings  from  “ the  ninety  and  nine  who  safely  lie  in  the 
shelter  of  the  fold,”  — but  to  reach  the  outside  millions,  who,  from 
want  of  moral  and  humane  influences,  are  now  cruel  both  to  their 
own  and  the  lower  races.  If  our  friend  sat  in  our  chair,  and  read, 
as  we  read,  the  Band-of-Mercy  letters  coming  to  our  table,  she 
would  as  soon  think  of  striking  “Christ  and  him  crucified”  out  of 
her  Bible,  as  of  giving  a minor  place  to  this  great  national  organi- 
zation of  nearly  three  thousand  branches  and  two  hundred  thousand 
members,  whose  mottoes  are,  “ Glory  to  God,”  “ Peace  on  Earth,” 
u Kindness  to  all  harmless  living  creatures” 

(From  Lecture  on  Crime.) 

HOW  CAN  WE  STOP  WARS  ? 

I answer  : I believe  it  is  within  the  power  of  the  Christian  Church 
to  stop  almost  every  war.  When  the  next  threatens,  let  the  clergy 
of  all  denominations  meet  in  every  city  and  town,  and  petition  Con- 
gress to  settle  the  dispute  by  arbitration. 

Let  every  clergyman  on  the  next  Sunday  preach  a sermon  on  war, 
and  then  circulate  in  his  parish  a petition  against  it.  Let  great 
union  prayer-meetings  be  held  in  all  our  cities  and  towns,  to  pray 
that  the  war  may  be  averted ; and  let  Christians  of  all  nations  be 
invited  by  telegrams  to  join  in  that  prayer. 

Let  every  Christian  wife  and  mother,  when  war  threatens,  wear 
some  emblem  of  mourning  until  the  danger  is  past.  If  these  things 
were  done,  I think  few  politicians  would  care  to  rise  in  Congress,  or 
anywhere,  to  advocate  war. 

When  the  united  voices  of  the  Christian  Church  shall  demand 
peace  on  earth,  good-will  to  men,  great  armies  will  be  no  longer 
needed,  and  Christmas  chimes  will  ring  out  such  melodies  as  the 
world  has  never  heard. 

In  this  country,  I think  one  of  our  first  steps  should  be  to  so  amend 
our  Constitution  that  war  shall  never  be  declared  except  by  a ma- 


22 


APPENDIX. 


jority  vote  of  the  whole  nation ; and  on  that  question  every  wife  and 
mother  who  has  husband  or  son  liable  to  military  duty  should  be 
permitted  to  vote. 


HOW  TO  TEACH  GOD  AND  IMMORTALITY. 

To  teach  the  children  in  our  public  schools  about  God,  tell  them 
of  the  wonders  revealed  by  the  microscope  and  telescope. 

Carry  their  thoughts  to  the  stars,  that  move  in  grand  procession 
across  the  evening  sky,  and  ask  who  guides  them  in  their  great  cir- 
cles through  space  without  limit  and  time  without  end ; tell  them 
of  the  goodness  displayed  in  flowers  that  bloom  and  birds  that  sing. 

Show  them  the  wonderful  plan  that  runs  through  the  whole  uni- 
verse, from  the  constellations  to  the  animalcule,  and  ask  who  was 
the  planner  ? 

Show  them  what  this  wonderful  human  intellect  of  ours  has  done  : 
how  it  has  created  the  world’s  libraries  and  machine-shops,  steamers- 
that  plough  the  ocean,  astronomical  instruments  that  measure  heaven- 
ly bodies,  grand  cathedrals,  paintings  of  Raphael  and  Michel  Angelo, 
music  of  Mozart  and  Beethoven ; and  ask  who  made  that  intellect  ? 

How  about  immortality  ? 

Suppose  you  tell  them  that  the  greatest  scientist  we  ever  had  on 
this  continent,  Agassiz,  believed  not  only  in  the  immortality  of 
man,  but  also  in  some  form  of  future  life  even  for  the  lower  intelli- 
gences ; that  the  sacred  books  and  religious  beliefs  and  recorded 
spiritual  experiences  of  nearly  all  nations  and  ages  teach  it ; and 
that,  if  all  these  were  wanting,  the  common-sense  of  mankind  would 
teach  that  the  Power  that  sustains  the  universe  would  not  permit  the 
holy  saint,  martyr,  mother,  to  only  share  with  pirates  and  murder- 
ers a common  annihilation. 


23 


THE  NEW  ORDER  OF  MERCY; 

OR, 

CRIME  AND  ITS  PREVENTION. 


PAPER  BY  GEORGE  T.  ANGELL, 

President  of  the  Massachusetts  Society  for  the  Prevention  of  Cruelty 
to  Animals,  President  of  the  Parent  Band  of  Mercy,  and  Director 
of  the  American  Social  Science  Association. 

BEFORE  THE  NATIONAL  ASSOCIATION  OF  SUPERINTENDENTS 
OF  PUBLIC  SCHOOLS, 

At  Annual  Meeting,  Washington,  Feb.  14,  1884. 

Published  by  National  Bureau  of  Education  of  U.  S.  Department  of  the  Interior. 


As  introductory  to  the  paper  I am  about  to  read,  I would  say  that 
the  American  Bands  of  Mercy,  founded  in  .Boston,  July,  1882,  have 
now  over  lr000  branches,  with  over  100,000  members.  They  are  in 
nearly  every  State  of  the  Union,  and  in  several  of  the  Territories. 
They  are  in  schools  of  all  grades,  from  the  primary  to  the  college  ; 
and  in  Sunday  schools  of  all  denominations,  both  Protestant  and 
Roman  Catholic.  Their  object  'is  to  teach  kindness  and  mercy  to 
all  harmless  living  creatures,  both  human  and  dumb,  and  such  other 
moral  virtues  as  each  band  may  determine.  They  are  so  simple  that 
a boy  or  girl  fourteen  years  old  or  younger  can,  with  the  instructions 
we  send,  form  and  conduct  a band.  They  cost  nothing  ; as  we  send 
to  each  band  formed  full  instructions,  and  humane  literature  sufficient 
to  supply  their  meetings  one  year,  without  cost.  They  have  been 
indorsed  and  recommended  by  the  most  eminent  educators  and  edu- 
cational journals  of  the  country.  In  the  city  of  Cincinnati  alone, 
largely  through  the  active  exertions  and  influence  of  Dr.  J.  B.  Peaslee, 


24 


THE  NEW  ORDER  OF  MERCY. 


its  superintendent  of  public  schools,  nearly  300  bands  have  been 
formed  since  Jan.  1,  1884,  with  over  30,000  members. 

Crime  more  than  doubled  in  Massachusetts  in  ten  years  prior  to 
1878.  During  1865  there  were  about  10,000  committals  to  the  various 
prisons  of  Massachusetts;  in  1875,  more  than  20,000;  in  1876,  the 
average  number  confined  there  was  still  higher ; in  1877,  higher  still. 
In  August,  1878,  Mr.  Frank  B.  Sanborn,  the  late  president  of  our 
National  Conference  of  Charities,  stated  that  the  number  of  convicts 
in  the  prisons  of  the  United  States  was  about  double  what  it  was  in 
1871.  The  report  of  our  Massachusetts  prison  commissioners  for 
1880  shows  a large  increase  of  crime  as  compared  with  1879.  The 
secretary  of  that  board  tells  me  that  a similar  increase  of  crime  in 
1880  is  shown  by  statistics  in  other  States.  In  the  year  ending  Sept. 
30,  1882,  there  were  5,803  more  committals  to  Massachusetts  prisons 
than  in  the  preceding  year. 

The  destruction  of  property  by  fire  in  the  United  States  grew  from 
an  annual  loss  in  1868  of  about  $35,000,000,  to  an  annual  loss  in  1878 
of  nearly  $100,000,000.  I have  not  the  later  statistics. 

As  long  ago  as  1876,  our  Massachusetts  State  Board  of  Charities,  in 
their  annual  report,  used  these  words  : “ And  now  we  find  that  there 
is  hardly  a country  in  the  civilized  world  where  atrocious  and  flagrant 
crime  is  so  common  as  in  Massachusetts.”  These  are  not  my  words, 
but  the  words  of  our  State  Board  of  Charities.  I have  no  reason  to 
suppose  Massachusetts  worse  than  other  States. 

The  editor  of  the  Louisville  “ Courier- Journal,”  writing  of  the 
prevalence  of  crime,  says,  in  August,  1881,  that  throughout  the 
State  of  Kentucky  “life  seems  scarcely  more  secure  than  when 
armed  bands  of  guerrillas  swept  it  from  border  to  border.” 

Judge  Barrows  of  Maine,  in  his  charge  to  a jury,  January,  1882, 
said,  “In  the  earlier  years  of  this  State,  the  crime  of  murder  was 
rare.  With  a population  not  much  less  than  now,  years  went  by,  and 
it  was  not  heard  of.  But  within  the  past  nine  or  ten  years,  its  fre- 
quency has  been  such  that  it  has  become  a mere  nine-days’  wonder.” 

“It  is  a fact,”  says  the  chief  justice  of  the  supreme  court  of  Illi- 
nois, in  an  address  to  the  bar  of  Chicago  as  far  back  as  November, 
1870,  “that  cannot  be  denied,  that  as  a people  we  are  undergoing 
rapid  deterioration.  Our  social,  political,  and  commercial  morals  are 
sinking ; and  day  by  day  we  seem  to  be  drifting  farther  and  farther 
from  our  ancient  anchorage,  toward  an  unknown  coast  whose  atmos- 
phere is  laden  with  poison  and  death.”  -These  are  not  my  words,  but 
the  words  of  the  chief  justice  of  the  supreme  court  of  Illinois. 

I think  we  are  no  worse  in  Massachusetts  Ilian  they  are  in  other 


THE  NEW  ORDER  OF  MERCY. 


25- 


States  The  number  of  arrests  annually  made  in  New-York  City 
alone  is  about  double  those  made  in  the  whole  Commonwealth  of 
Massachusetts.  During  1880,  71,479  arrests  were  made  in  New-York 
City.  During  only  nine  months,  228  dead  bodies  which  could  not  be 
identified  were  taken  from  the  waters  -about  that  city,  and  buried  as 
unknown. 

It  is  well  known  that  there  are  now  in  this  country  large  organized 
societies  of  criminals,  acted  under  officers  duly  elected,  bound  together 
by  solemn  oaths,  and  controlling  large  sums  of  money.  u I know,” 
says  the  late  warden  of  the  Massachusetts  State  Prison,  in  Ins  testi- 
mony before  the  prison  committee  of  the  Massachusetts  Legislature,  — 
“ I know,  of  my  own  knowledge,  that  there  exists  in  the  city  of  Bos- 
ton a regularly  organized  society  of  criminals,  with  president,  vice- 
president,  secretary,  and  treasurer.  This  society  has  a regular  form 
of  admitting  members.  The  prison  each  graduated  from,  Ins  offence, 
with  information  in  regard  to  the  prison,  are  all  recorded.  The  soci- 
ety discusses  the  most  approved  plans  for  burglary,  tools,  equipments, 
etc.  They  keep  a register  of  the  best  criminal  lawyers,  and  of  the 
judges  of  the  courts ; and  they  have  a fund  for  mutual  support  and 
protection.”  This  is  the  testimony  of  the  warden  of  the  Massachu- 
setts State  Prison.  I am  told  that  similar  organizations  of  criminals 
have  been  formed  in  other  cities  and  States. 

Our  criminals  are  mostly  young  men.  Out  of  415  convicts  sentenced 
to  the  Massachusetts  State  Prison  in  a single  year,  more  than  half  were 
born  in  Massachusetts,  and  more  than  half  were  not  twenty-five  years 
old.  The  average  age  of  convicts  in  our  Massachusetts  State  Prison 
was  found,  some  time  since,  to  be  only  about  twenty-four  years.  The 
police  records  of  San  Francisco,  some  time  since,  showed  that  about 
three-quarters  of  those  arrested  for  criminal  acts  in  that  city  were 
under  twenty  years  of  age  ; and  about  one-half  of  those  charged  with 
larceny,  burglary,  and  robbery,  were  boys  or  young  men  not  twenty- 
two  years  old.  In  New-York  papers  of  December,  1883,  I find  that 
in  the  court  of  general  sessions  of  New-York  City,  Judge  Cowing 
called  attention  to  the  alarming  increase  of  crime  among  young  men  ; 
ninety  per  cent  of  those  convicted  of  burglary  and  robbery  being  under 
twenty-five  years  of  age. 

It  is  not  the  ignorant  alone  that  fill  the  ranks  of  criminals.  The 
chaplain  of  the  Auburn  (N.Y.)  State  Prison  said,  some  time  since, 
that  the  convicts  there  constituted  one  of  the  most  intelligent  audi- 
ences he  ever  addressed.  Out  of  1,368  prisoners,  1,182  had  received 
a greater  or  less  education  in  our  colleges,  academies,  public  schools, 
and  elsewhere.  The  secretary  of  our  Massachusetts  board  of  prison 


26 


THE  NEW  ORDER  OF  MERCY. 


Commissioners  assured  me,  May  12,  1881,  that  what  is  stated  in  regard 
to  the  intelligence  of  convicts  in  Auburn  prison  will  hold  true  in 
regard  to  the  intelligence  of  convicts  in  various  other  prisons. 

It  is  not  the  uneducated  alone  that  are  in  training  to  commit  crime. 
In  the  various  Boston  papers,  some  time  since,  appeared  the  following 

telegram  : “ Some  two  hundred  students  of  College  got  drunk 

on  Thursday  night,  and  behaved  so  outrageously  at  the  Hahnemann 
fair,  that  all  the  ladies  left,  and  the  police  were  powerless  to  preserve 
order.  After  leaving  the  fair,  they  raided  about  a dozen  lager-beer 
saloons,  and  fighting,  riot,  and  scandalous  behavior  continued  in  the 
neighborhood  till  daylight',  the  police  being  afraid  to  meddle  with 
them.’,  In  the  Boston  “Journal”  of  Jan.  25,  1882,  I find  that 
twenty-three  students  of  another  college  had  just  been  indicted  by 
the  grand  jury,  and  arrested  for  crime.  These  are  not  exceptional 
cases.  I could  quote  various  other  colleges  as  well,  to  show  the  spirit 
of  lawlessness  which  prevails  among  large  numbers  of  our  educated 
young  men. 

The  facilities  for  committing  crime  are  constantly  increasing.  I am 
assured,  on  what  I believe  to  be  entirely  reliable  authority,  that  a 
machine  has  been  recently  invented,  costing  only  $5,  with  which  the 
skilful  burglar  can  open  the  strongest  safe  in  any  vault  of  our  cities, 
in  thirty  minutes,  without  noise. 

A Nihilist  lecturer  recently  stated  to  a Boston  audience,  that  there 
were  now  about  four  hundred  schools  in  Europe  (he  did  not  say  how 
many  in  America)  whose  only  object  is  to  teach  the  use  of  explosives  ; 
that  about  sixty  tons  of  tri-nitroglycerine,  having  ninety-three  times  the 
power  of  gunpowder,  are  now  concealed,  ready  for  use  ; that  he  carried 
dynamite  always  in  his  pocket ; and  two  ounces  of  an  explosive  he  had, 
put  at  the  entrance  of  the  Tremont  Temple,  where  he  was  lecturing, 
would  destroy  the  life  of  every  person  in  that  building. 

Science  is  making  wonderful  progress.  Steamers  can  be  blown  to 
atoms  in  mid -ocean,  railroad-trains  be  wrecked,  safety- vaults  and  mag- 
nificent piles  of  architecture  changed  in  a moment  to  shapeless  ruins. 
It  is  perfectly  certain  that  the  criminal  classes  of  the  future  are  going 
to  know  all  about  these  things  ; and  it  is  becoming  a most  momentous 
question,  How  are  we  going  to  stop  the  growth  of  crime? 

It  is  certain  that  education  of  the  intellect  alone  will  not  do  it : that 
only  gives  increased  power.  The  churches  and  Sunday  schools  alone 
cannot  stop  it,  for  they  do  not  reach  the  great  masses  who  never  attend 
them.  In  some  States  not  more  than  half  the  people  attend  the 
churches,  and  in  some  States  probably  not  more  than  a quarter ; and 
only  a similar  proportion  of  children  attend  the  Sunday  schools. 


TEE  NEW  ORDER  OF  MERCY. 


27 


Is  this  state  of  things,  under  present  influences,  likely  to  grow 
better?  See  the  hordes  of  immigrants  pouring  in  upon  us  from  all 
nations  of  the  civilized  world,  all  to  become  voters.  See  the  innu- 
merable millions  of  China  and  the  East,  that  cannot  be  much  longer 
kept  out.  Add  these  chances  to  present  statistics  ; and  then  figure  it 
out,  if  you  can,  that  this  continent  is  not  to  become  the  great  battle- 
ground of  the  world,  between  the  powers  of  good  and  evil. 

I see  it  stated  in  the  papers,  that  one  great  secret  organization,  the 
“ Knights  of  Labor,”  numbers  already  nearly  two  millions  of  mem- 
bers, all  combined  to  resist,  and  if  necessary  wage  war  on,  capital, 
which  they  declare  is  waging  war  on  them.  Are  these  controversies  to 
be  settled  in  the  future  humanely  by  arbitration  and  the  ballot,  or  how 
are  they  to  be  settled  ? This  is  going  to  be  a great  question  before 
long,  and  it  may  be  much  sooner  than  we  expect.  Four  hundred 
schools  in  Europe,  we  are  told,  are  teaching  the  use  of  dynamite,  and 
its  apostles  are  not  few  nor  far  between. 

If  we  drift  into  another  civil  war,  where  will  be  found  these  great* 
and  growing  criminal  classes  who  never  enter  church  or  Sunday 
school,  who  believe  property  should  be  divided  or  destroyed?  Will 
they,  or  will  they  not,  come  to  the  front,  as  they  did  in  the  French 
Revolution?  And  what  is  the  remedy?  Pass  more  stringent  laws, 
perhaps  you  say.  How  are  you  going  to  pass  them?  and  how  are 
you  going  to  enforce  them,  when  more  or  less  men  on  every  jury 
(and  it  may  be,  some  of  your  judges  even)  are  in  sympathy  with 
crime  ? 

It  was  ascertained  some  time  since,  that,  on  the  voting-lists  of  the 
city  of  Boston,  were  the  names  of  more  than  six  thousand  persons 
who  had  been  convicted  of  crime.  Put  more  work  into  the  Sunday 
schools,  perhaps  you  say.  That’s  all  very  well ; but  what  are  you 
going  to  do  with  the  millions  that  never  enter  the  Sunday  schools? 

I do  not  seek  to  disparage  our  present  great  and  powerful  instru- 
mentalities of  good,  and  the  army  of  noble  and  self-sacrificing  men 
and  women  engaged  in  them.  I only  seek  to  show,  that,  in  spite  of 
them  all,  crime  is  increasing  far  beyond  our  increase  of  population, 
and  seems  likely  to  increase  still  more  in  the  future,  and  that  new 
measures  must  be  adopted.  What  can  we  do?  I answer,  In  my 
judgment,  there  is  only  one  way.  We  must  go  straight  to  the  founda- 
tions, and  begin  with  the  children  in  our  public  schools  ; and  that  will 
be  the  quickest  way  to  reach  the  parents.  If  w'e  want  to  stop  law- 
lessness and  crime,  we  must  begin  with  the  children  in  our  public 
schools.  Nearly  all  the  criminals  of  the  future,  the  thieves,  burglars, 
incendiaries,  and  murderers,  are  now  in  our  public  schools  ; and  with 


28 


THE  NEW  ORDER  OF  MERCY. 


them,  the  greater  criminals  who  commit  national  crimes.  They  are  in 
our  public  schools  now,  and  we  are  educating  them.  We  can  mould 
them  now  if  we  will.  To  illustrate  the  power  of  education  : We 
know  that  you  may  make  the  same  boy  Protestant,  Roman  Catholic, 
or  Mahometan.  It  is  simply  a question  of  education.  You  may  put 
into  his  little  hand,  as  first  toys,  whips  and  guns  and  swords  ; or  you 
may  teach  him,  as  the  Quakers  do,  that  war  and  cruelty  are  crimes. 
You  may  teach  him  to  shoot  the  little  song-bird  in  springtime,  with 
its  nest  full  of  young ; or  you  may  teach  him  to  feed  the  bird,  and 
spare  its  nest.  You  may  go  into  the  schools  now  with  book,  picture, 
song,  and  story,  and  make  neglected  boys  merciful ; or  you  may  let 
them  drift  until,  as  men,  they  have  become  sufficiently  lawless  and 
cruel  to  throw  your  railway-trains  off  the  track,  place  dynamite 
under  your  dwelling-houses  or  public  buildings,  assassinate  your 
President,  burn  half  your  city,  or,  as  Nihilistic  leaders,  involve  the 
nation  in  civil  war.  Is  it  not  largely,  if  not  wholly,  a question,  of 
education  ? 

I say,  then,  that  our  remedy  against  the  lawlessness  and  crime  now 
so  rapidly  growing  in  this  country  lies  in  the  humane  — which  will  be 
found  to  include  also  the  moral  — education  of  the  children,  and  that 
this  is  also  the  shortest  road  to  reach  the  parents. 

For  the  purpose  of  humanely  educating  the  children  of  this  nation, 
was  founded  in  Boston,  on  the  28th  of  July,  1882,  the  American 
Band  of  Mercy.  Among  its  earliest  members  were  the  Governor  of 
Massachusetts  ; the  Mayor  of  Boston  ; the  Chief-justice  of  our  Com- 
monwealth, and  other  judges ; the  Roman  Catholic  Archbishop  of 
Boston,  who  has  caused  one  to  be  established  in  his  cathedral,  with 
about  1,500  members,  and  has  given  us  permission  to  establish  them 
in  all  the  Sunday  and  parochial  schools  *of  his  diocese  ; the  leading 
editors  of  our  religious  and  educational  papers  ; and  several  hundreds 
of  clergymen  of  all  denominations,  Protestant  and  Roman  Catholic ; 
and  it  has  now,  in  something  over  a year,  over  1,000  branches,  reach- 
ing from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific  Coast  and  from  the  Gulf  of  St. 
Lawrence  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  and  numbering  over  100,000  mem- 
bers. These  branches  have  been  established  in  Sunday  schools  of  all 
denominations,  both  Protestant  and  Roman  Catholic,  and  in  schools 
of  all  grades,  from  the  primary  to  the  college. 

Its  badge  is  a five-pointed  star,  on  which  are  the  mottoes,  “Glory 
to  God,”  “ Peace  on  earth,  “ Good-will  to  all ; ” and  on  the  five  points 
of  the  star  the  words,  “Kindness  to  all  harmless  living  creatures.” 
Its  cards  of  membership  have  a beautiful  picture  of  the  “ signing 
of  the  pledge  ; ” with  these  lines,  — 


THE  NEW  ORDER  OF  MERCY. 


29 


For  lo!  the  days  are  hastening  on, 

By  prophet  bards  foretold, 

When,  with  the  ever-circling  years, 

Comes  round  the  age  of  gold ; * 

When  peace  shall  over  all  the  earth 
Its  ancient  splendors  fling, 

And  the  whole  world  give  back  the  song 
That  now  the  angels  sing. 

Its  pledge  is  : “I  will  try  to  be  kind  to  all  harmless  living  creatures,, 
both  human  and  dumb,  and  will  try  to  protect  them  from  cruel  usage.’ * 
It  is  thus  both  an  order  of  mercy  and  an  order  of  chivalry.  Its 
object  is  in  all  possible  ways  to  encourage  its  members  to  good,  gen- 
erous, noble,  and  merciful  lives  and  deeds.  Whenever  a brave,  kind 
word  needs  to  be  said,  say  it ; whenever  a brave,  kind  act  needs  to  be 
done,  do  it.  It  aims  to  use  at  its  meetings  every  song,  poem,  picture, 
and  story  which  will  promote  the  objects  for  which  it  was  founded ; 
and,  when  practicable,  endeavors,  by  public  Band-of-Mercy  concerts 
and  otherwise,  to  reach  all  outside  whom  it  can  reach  and  influence* 
Its  methods  of  organization  are  so  simple  that  any  boy  or  girl  of  or- 
dinary intelligence,  fourteen  years  old,  can  organize  a Band  of  Mercy. 
Its  exercises  occupy  such  part  of  school,  or  Sunday  school,  or  other 
time,  as  each  band  for  itself  arranges.  It  costs  nothing  ; for  all  that  it 
requires  is  the  simple  pledge,  nothing  more.  To  be  sure,  it  has  a 
membership  book  for  each  band  that  wants  one,  which  costs  six  cents  ; 
beautiful  imitation  gold  and  silver  badge  pins  for  those  who  want 
them,  which  cost  eight  cents  ; ribbon  badges,  which  cost  four  cents  ; 
and  handsome  cards  of  membership,  which  cost  two  cents.  Some 
seventy  thousand  of  these  cards  and  badges  have  been  already  sent  out. 
But  they  are  not  necessary : all  that  is  required  is  simply  the  pledge. 
It  sends,  without  cost,  to  each  band  formed  of  over  forty  members 
(1)  an  order  of  exercises,  and  full  information  as  to  what  to  do,  and 
how  to  do  it ; (2)  ten  very  interesting  lessons  on  kindness  to  animals, 
full  of  stories  and  instruction  on  that  subject,  and  which  have  already 
gone  to  over  twenty  thousand  teachers  of  public  and  private  schools, 
and  are  now  being  introduced  into  Sunday  schools  ; and  (3)  a copy  for 
one  year  of  its  monthly  paper,  “ Our  Dumb  Animals,”  filled  with  inter- 
esting anecdotes  and  other  matter,  encouraging  kindness  both  to  ani- 
mals and  human  beings.  It  sends  also  to  each  band  leaflets  containing 
Band-of-Mercy  hymns  and  songs,  adapted  to  popular  music  and  suit- 
able for  both  school  and  Sunday-school  exercises.  All  these  are  sent 
without  cost.  To  every  teacher  who  forms  a band  of  twenty  or  more, 
it  sends,  in  addition  to  these,  a beautiful  badge-pin,  without  cost. 


30 


THE  NEW  ORDER  OF  MERCY. 


It  is  not  the  intention  to  have  a word  said  or  quoted  in  any  band  that 
will  give  offence  to  any  religious  denomination,  or  to  require  the  teach- 
ing of  any  thing  but  kindness  and  protection  for  the  weak  ; but  it  is  the 
hope  of  its  founders,  that  teachers  and  officers  of  all  bands  will,  so  far 
as  practicable,  endeavor  to  inculcate  not  only  thoughts  and  habits  of 
mercy,  but  also  a firm  belief  in  the  Infinite  Ruler  of  the  Universe,  upon 
whose  mercy  we  depend.  This  can  be  done,  without  in  any  manner 
interfering  with  sectarian  beliefs,  by  showing  how  the  whole  natural 
world  is  full  of  the  evidences  of  his  wisdom,  power,  and  goodness. 

It  is  our  earnest  hope,  also,  that  teachers  and  officers  of  all  bands 
will,  so  far  as  practicable,  inculcate  the  great  doctrine  of  immortality. 
We  think  it  can  be  shown,  without  conflicting  with  the  religious  views 
•of  any  denomination,  that  the  sacred  books  and  religious  beliefs  and 
recorded  spiritual  experiences  of  all  ages  and  nations  teach  it ; and 
that,  if  all  these  evidences  were  wanting,  still  the  common-sense  of 
mankind  would  show  the  necessity  of  another  life  to  right  the  wrongs 
of  this  one,  and  that  a power  so  great  and  good  as  is  revealed  in  this 
universe  would  never  permit  saints,  martyrs,  and  holy  mothers  to  sim- 
ply share  with  pirates  and  murderers  a common  annihilation.  We 
think  that  any  system  of  teaching  mercy,  which  ignores  the  merciful 
God,  and  a future  life  in  which  the  wrongs  of  this  one  shall  be  righted, 
must  be  defective  and  unsatisfactory. 

It  will  not  be  difficult  to  teach  with  mercy,  also,  in  similar  ways, 
peace,  temperance,  truth,  honor,  honesty.  We  think  it  will  be  found 
on  reflection,  that  mercy  includes  them  all,  and  that  no  man  can  be  truly 
merciful  without  them.  But  we  require  only  the  pledge,  “ I will  try  to 
be  kind  to  all  harmless  creatures,  and  will  try  to  protect  them  from 
cruel  usage.”  And  we  have  abundant  evidence  that  the  teaching  of 
this  alone  will  prevent  both  cruelty  and  crime. 

The  experience  of  French  and  English  schools  during  many  years 
has  shown  that  children  taught  kindness  to  animals  only,  become  not 
only  more  kind  to  animals,  but  also  more  kind  to  one  another.  This 
matter  has  been  deemed  so  important,  that  not  only  are  regular  lessons 
on  this  subject  now  given  in  over  five  thousand  schools  of  France,  and 
the  minister  of  public  instruction  has  ordered  publications  teaching  it 
to  be  circulated  in  French  schools,  but  also  in  those  schools  have  been 
formed  large  numbers  of  societies  of  youth  and  children  to  protect 
the  lower  animals  from  cruelty. 

In  one  department  of  France  alone,  there  are  now  about  five  hundred 
of  these  societies  ; and  in  some  of  the  Roman  Catholic  dioceses  of 
France  children  are  not  admitted  to  first  communion  until  they  promise 
to  be  kind  to  animals.  For  the  same  object,  large  societies  of  youth 


THE  NEW  ORDER  OF  MERCY. 


31 


and  children  have  been  formed  in  Germany,  Denmark,  Russia,  Switzer- 
land, and  Great  Britain.  It  is  probable  that  more  than  a hundred 
thousand  English  school-children  are  to-day  members  of  these  associa- 
tions. In  proof  of  the  established  fact  that  this  teaching  prevents  not 
only  cruelty,  but  also  crime,  in  England  public  attention  has  been 
called  to  the  fact  that  out  of  about  seven  thousand  children  carefully 
taught  kindness  to  animals,  during  a series  of  years,  in  one  English 
public  school,  not  one  has  ever  been  arrested  for  any  criminal  offence. 
It  was  ascertained  some  time  since,  by  inquiry  in  American  prisons, 
that,  out  of  two  thousand  convicts  inquired  of,  only  twelve  had  any 
pet  animal  during  their  childhood. 

We  know  that  simply  teaching  kindness  in  our  Bands  of  Mercy  — 
to  be  more  merciful  to  the  aged,  weak,  and  suffering  ; to  feed  the  song- 
birds, and  spare  their  nests ; sprinkle  ashes  on  icy  streets,  that  men 
and  horses  may  not  fall ; put  the  blankets  that  have  blown  off  horses  on 
again,  and  tuck  them  under  the  harness  ; kill  fish  as  soon  as  they  are 
caught,  as  Agassiz  taught  his  pupils ; protect  the  useful  toad ; avoid 
treading  upon  the  useful  and  harmless  worm,  even  — will  have  a mighty 
influence  to  prevent  many  from  becoming  criminals,  and  make  them 
good,  merciful,  and  law-abiding ‘citizens.  I could  easily  fill  an  hour 
with  anecdotes  illustrating  the  power  of  teaching  kindness  to  the 
lowrer  creatures  ; and,  for  illustrations  of  the  power  of  teaching  kind- 
ness to  the  higher,  we  have  only  to  look  at  the  histories  of  the  Quakers 
and  Moravians. 

Indeed,  if  all  the  world  were  Quakers  and  Moravians,  what  would 
become  of  the  prisons,  and  what  would  become  of  armies,  navies,  and 
fortifications?  The  Quaker  colony  of  Pennsylvania  required  for 
seventy  years,  for  its  protection  against  Indians,  only  a few  con- 
stables. That  was  the  fruit  of  humane  education. 

Is  it  not  possible  to  educate  our  children  just  as  humanely,  without 
making  them  Quakers  or  Moravians?  I have  heard  the  question 
asked,  “ Will  not  this  humane  education  unfit  our  boys  for  soldiers ?” 
I answer,  that  a boy  who  has  been  trained  to  protect  a dumb  beast  from 
cruelty  will  fight,  if  need  be,  none  the  less  bravely  for  his  home  and 
country.  There  were  no  braver  men  in  our  last  war,  North  or  South, 
than  those  that  went  from  our  most  cultured  homes.  There  have 
been  no  braver  men  or  women  in  any  age  than  those  sons  and  daugh- 
ters of  mercy,  who,  since  that  war,  went  down  into  the  yellow-fever 
hospitals  of  the  South,  to  nurse  the  sick,  and  comfort  and  cheer  the 
dying. 

But  suppose  a band  should  teach  only  one  thing,  — kindness  to 
the  lower  creatures,  those  that  cannot  speak  for  themselves.  Saying 


32 


THE  NEW  ORDER  OF  MERCY. 


nothing  of  the  increased  protection  to  animals,  when  you  are  teach- 
ing children  to  love  and  do  acts  of  kindness  for  these  creatures  which 
the  poorest  boys  and  girls  are  meeting  forty  times  a day  in  the  streets, 
and  having  opportunities  of  doing  little  acts  of  kindness  to,  you  are 
teaching  what  will  bring  a whole  world  of  new  happiness  into  the 
whole  future  lives  of  the  children. 

I shall  never  forget  seeing  on  the  Capitol  grounds  at  Richmond, 
Va.,  tame  gray  squirrels  running  over  the  grounds,  and  feeding  from 
the  hands  of  the  children  ; and  I told  the  people  whom  I addressed 
there,  truly,  as  I believe,  that  those  squirrels  were  worth  their  weight 
m gold  to  the  city  of  Richmond,  for  the  kindness  they  put  into  the 
hearts  of  the  children.  I have  in  my  own  home  a little  bird  that 
weighs  less  than  one  ounce  after  dinner ; yet  he  brings  into  my  home 
a happiness  that  foT  thousands  of  dollars  I would  not  lose.  He 
follows  me  from  room  to  room  ; flies  to  my  head,  my  shoulders,  my 
fingers ; stands  on  my  table,  and  watches  me  as  I write.  In  the 
morning  he  sings  his  little  songs  of  thanksgiving ; about  sundown, 
his  evening  hymn  ; and  later,  at  intervals,  I hear  soft,  sweet  notes, 
which  I love  to  think  may  be  his  little  prayers  to  his  Maker  and  mine. 
It  is  only  one  little  bird,  weighing  -less  than  an  ounce : yet  I know 
that  he  makes  my  life  both  happier  and  better. 

And  I could  easily  fill  an  hour  with  the  testimony  of  men  and 
women  of  almost  every  position  in  life,  — from  the  poor,  sick  colored 
man  at  Louisville,  Ky.,  who,  when  told  that  to  enter  the  city  hospital 
he  must  abandon  his  dog,  declared  with  tears  in  his  eyes  that  the  dog 
was  the  only  friend  he  had  in  the  world,  and  he  would  rather  die 
with  him  in  the  streets  of  Louisville  than  abandon  him,  — up  to  Sir 
Walter  Scott,  and  Sir  Edwin  Landseer ; and  Petrarch,  and  Cardinal 
Wolsey,  and  Richelieu ; and  Daniel  Webster,  who,  just  before  he 
died,  asked  that  all  his  cattle  might  be  driven  to  his  window,  that  he 
might  see  them  for  the  last  time  ; and  a thousand  more  like  these, 
who  might  be  cited  to  show  how  millions  of  lives  have  been,  and 
other  millions  may  be,  made  happier  by  a love  for  God’s  lower 
creatures. 

And  then  comes  the  influence  of  this  teaching  on  crime.  I am 
sometimes  asked,  “Why  do  you  spend  so  much  of  your  time  and 
money  in  talking  about  kindness  to  animals,  when  there  is  so  much 
cruelty  to  men?”  And  I answer,  “We  are  working  at  the  roots. 
Every  humane  publication,  every  lecture,  every  step  in  doing  or 
teaching  kindness  to  them,  is  a step  to  prevent  crime,”  — a step  in 
promoting  the  growth  of  those  qualities  of  heart  which  will  elevate 
human  souls,  even  in  the  dens  of  sin  and  shame,  and  prepare  the 


THE  NEW  ORDER  OF  MERCY. 


33 


way  for  the  coming  of  peace  on  earth  and  good-will  to  men.  There 
are  hundreds  of  thousands  of  parents  among  the  depraved  and 
criminal  classes  of  this  country,  whom  no  child  can  “be  taught  to 
love,”  or  ought  to  be.  There  are  hundreds  of  thousands  of  homes 
where  the  name  of  the  Almighty  is  never  heard  except  in  words  of 
blasphemy.  But  there  is  not  a child  in  one  of  those  homes  that  may 
not  be  taught  in  our  public  schools  to  feed  the  birds,  and  pat  the 
horses,  and  enjoy  making  happy  all  harmless  creatures  it  meets  on 
the  street,  and  so  be  doing  acts  of  kindness  forty  times  a day,  which 
will  make  it  not  only  happier,  but  better  and  more  merciful  in  all  the 
relations  of  life. 

Standing  before  you  as  the  advocate  of  the  lower  races,  I declare, 
what  I believe  cannot  be  gainsaid,  — that  just  so  soon  and  so  far  as 
we  pour  into  all  our  schools  the  songs  and  poems  and  literature  of 
mercy  towards  these  lower  creatures,  just  so  soon  and  so  far  shall  we 
reach  the  roots  not  only  of  cruelty,  but  of  crime. 

A short  time  since,  I was  written  to  by  order  of  an  association 
of  the  leading  citizens  of  one  of  our  largest  Western  cities  ; and  the 
question  was  asked,  “ What  can  we  do  to  stop  the  growth  of  crime?  ” 
I answered,  “Form  a Band  of  Mercy  in  every  public  school  of  your 
city  as  quickly  as  you  can.”  So  you  will  reach  the  children  at  once  ; 
and  through  them,  and  their  cards,  badges,  and  humane  literature, 
you  will  reach  also  the  parents. 

My  friends,  have  you  any  thing  better?  It  costs  nothing.  It 
opens,  in  every  school  where  it  is  formed,  a door  or  channel  through 
which  we  can  pour  into  the  school  our  humane  literature  and  educa- 
tion. It  can  do  no  harm.  It  may  do  infinite  good,  not  only  in  this 
generation,  but  in  the  great  future,  when  we  shall  have  ceased  from 
our  labors. 

No  man  can  tell  the  influence  that  may  go  out  from  even  the  small- 
est band,  to  bless  our  country  and  to  bless  the  world.  Millions  are 
expended  in  building  monuments  in  our  cemeteries.  I know  of  no 
way  in  which  any  man  or  woman  can  build  a better  monument  than 
by  founding  a band  or  bands  of  mercy,  dedicated  to  the  glory  of  God 
and  the  highest  welfare  of  his  creatures,  both  human  and  dumb. 

Mr.  Richards  introduced  the  following,  which  was  adopted  : — 

Resolved,  That  we  heartily  approve  of  the  American  Bands  of  Mercy,  and 
welcome  their  introduction  into  the  public  schools  of  our  country  to  aid  in  the 
moral  education  of  our  people. 


34 


SENTIMENT,  SENTIMENTAL. 


[From  “ Our  Dumb  Animals,”  October,  1884.] 

SENTIMENT,  SENTIMENTAL. 

Some  of  our  friends  most  deeply  interested  in  animal-protection 
societies  are  frequently  charged  with  being  sentimental.  We  admit 
it.  What  is  sentiment % “ Thought  prompted  by  feeling .**  And 

sentimental 9 “ Having  sensibility  or  feeling.” 

Love  of  God  is  a sentiment. 

Love  of  man  is  a sentiment. 

A desire  to  relieve  and  prevent  suffering,  — that  is  a sentiment. 

To  protect  the  weak,  bind  up  the  broken-hearted,  defend  the  de«. 
fenceless,  raise  the  down-trodden,  give  liberty  to  the  enslaved,  — 
these  are  all  sentiments. 

Women  have  died  in  hospitals,  and  men  on  battle-fields,  and  mar- 
tyrs at  the  stake,  and  as  the  flames  curled  around  them  have  sung 
hymns  of  praise,  all  for  sentiment. 

Some  of  us  remember  the  spring  of  1861,  when  the  telegram  came 
of  the  firing  on  Fort  Sumter,  and  then  our  President’s  call  for  help 
to  save  Washington.  We  think  the  telegram  came  in  the  afternoon 
or  evening  ; and  the  next  morning  at  nine  o’clock  a regiment  of  our 
Massachusetts  citizens  stood  in  front  of  the  State  House,  ready  to 
start.  That  was  sentiment.  Next  day  they  were  fired  on  in  Balti- 
more, and  Governor  Andrew  sent  that  telegram  which  drew  tears 
from  thousand  of  eyes  : — 

To  the  Mayor  of  Baltimore  : 

I pray  you  to  cause  the  bodies  of  our  Massachusetts  soldiers  dead  in  Balti- 
more, to  be  immediately  laid  out,  preserved  in  ice,  and  tenderly  sent  forward  by 
express  to  me.  All  expenses  will  be  paid  by  this  Commonwealth. 

That  was  sentiment. 

And  then  there  came  such  a blaze  of  sentiment,  that  it  illuminated 
the  whole  State,  from  Massachusetts  Bay  to  the  Berkshire  Hills,  as 
regiment  after  regiment  of  our  brave  boys  went  down  into  the 
swamps  and  wildernesses  to  die  for  the  preservation  of  the  unity  of 
their  country. 

Thank  God  for  sentiment ! 

When  the  nation  loses  it,  we  shall  cease  to  be  a nation.  And, 
thank  God,  that  sentiment  is  now  being  directed  into  channels  which 
lead  to  peace  and  not  war*,  kindness  and  not  cruelty. 


OUR  AMERICAN  HUMANE  EDUCATION  SOCIETY.  35 


OUR  AMERICAN  HUMANE  EDUCATION  SOCIETY  AND  THIS 
AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

The  American  Humane  Education  Society  was  the  outgrowth  of 
a “ Mission  Fund ” so  called,  consisting  of  sums  of  money  sent  to 
me  by  humane  persons  in  various  parts  of  our  country,  to  be  used 
for  the  promotion  of  humane  education  in  such  ways  as  I might 
deem  best. 

Several  thousands  of  dollars  were  given  me  in  this  way  for  this 
purpose,  and  were  used  with  great  success  in  circulating  humane 
literature,  information,  and  education  in  different  parts  of  our 
country. 

It  became  clear  to  my  mind  that  if,  from  any  cause,  I should  be 
compelled  to  cease  from  my  labors,  the  “Missionary  Fund ” would 
end,  and  that  it  was  of  great  importance  to  organize  a Humane 
Society  which  should  perpetuate  and  increase  the  work  when  I 
should  leave  it. 

For  this  purpose  I applied  to  the  Massachusetts  Legislature  in 
the  winter  of  1888  and  1889,  and  the  Legislature  kindly  granted 
me  an  act  of  incorporation,  under  which  the  “ American  Humane 
Education  Society  ” has  power  to  hold  half  a million  of  dollars  free 
from  taxation. 

Among  its  directors  are,  Hon.  Henry  O.  Houghton , senior  partner  of  the  great 
publishing  house  of  Houghton,  Mifflin  & Company;  Hon.  Edmund  H.  Bennett , 
dean  of  the  Boston  University  Law  School : Hon.  George  White,  judge  of  probate ; 
Hon.  Daniel  Needham , president  of  the  New  England  Agricultural  Society; 
Hon.  Henry  B.  Hill,  a prominent  and  well-known  citizen  of  Boston;  Geo.  T. 
Angell,  Mrs.  William  Appleton.  Mrs.  Robert  Treat  Paine , Miss  Sarah  J.  Eddy , 
Mrs.  Samuel  C.  Cobb , Miss  Florence  Lyman , Miss  Veronica  Dwight. 

Under  the  constitution,  which  I prepared  with  great  care,  the  directors  hold 
office  for  life.  When  one  dies  the  survivors  elect  another  to  fill  his  or  her  place, 

I was  elected  president,  and  Hon.  Henry  O.  Houghton  treasurer. 


36  OUR  AMERICAN  HUMANE  EDUCATION  SOCIETY. 


This  organization  has  been  sending  “ Our  Dumb  Animals ,”  monthly,  to 
about  ten  thousand  American  editors , also  furnishing  outfits,  and  taking  charge 
of  the  branches  of  our  “ Parent  American  Band  of  Mercy,”  of  which  have 
now  been  formed  over  twelve  thousand  branches  in  every  State  and  Territory 
but  Alaska,  and  containing  probably  from  half  a million  to  a million  members. 

It  has  printed  and  caused  to  be  printed  nearly  a million  copies  of  “ Black 
Beauty  ” in  English , German,  Dutch,  Italian,  Spanish,  and  Swedish  languages, 
and  is  now  aiding  in  its  translation  and  distribution  in  French,  Arabic,  Hindo- 
stani,  and  Telugu. 

It  has  offered  a prize  of  a thousand  dollars  for  the  best  equestrian  drama  of 
“ Black  Beauty ,”  which  it  hopes  may  be  seen  by  hundreds  of  thousands  in  this 
and  other  countries. 

It  is  now  offering  three  prizes  of  two  hundred  dollars  each  for  the  best  and 
most  useful  stories  of  not  less  than  one  hundred  “ Black  Beauty  ” pages,  on 
(1)  The  kind  and  cruel  treatment  of  domestic  animals  and  birds  in  our  Southern 
States  and  Territories.  (2)  The  kind  and  cruel  treatment  of  domestic  animals 
and  birds  in  our  Western  States  and  Territories.  (3)  The  kind  and  cruel 
treatment  of  animals  and  birds  in  our  Northern  States. 

Among  its  work  has  been  also  the  offering  a prize  of  one  hundred  dollars  to 
all  the  college  students  of  America  for  the  best  essay  on  “ The  Effect  of  Humane 
Education  on  the  Prevention  of  Crime”  and  sending  to  all  their  libraries 
humane  publications,  and  to  the  students  themselves  some  seventy  thousand 
copies  of  condensed  humane  information ; the  offering  to  all  American  editors 
a similar  prize  of  three  hundred  dollars  for  a similar  essay,  and  sending  to  them 
all  copies  of  condensed  humane  information  ; the  offering  of  two  prizes  of  two 
hundred  and  fifty  dollars  each  for  the  best  essays  on  vivisection,  which  have 
been  sent  to  thousands  of  American  editors  and  physicians. 

Also  the  employing  of  missionaries  and  forming  “ Humane  Societies”  and 
thousands  of  “ Bands  of  Mercy”  in  various  Southern  and  Western  States 
and  Territories. 

These  are  some  of  its  plans  already  accomplished,  and  it  has  still  larger  ones 
for  the  future,  if  kind  Providence  shall  give  it  power  to  carry  them  out. 

Some  years  ago,  when  I arrived  at  the  age  of  sixty , I wrote  this 
volume  of  autobiographical  sketches,  which,  at  the  personal  cost  to 
myself  of  about  five  hundred  dollars,  I had  printed,  and  electro- 
typed  so  that  it  might  be  used,  if  thought  best,  after  I had  passed 
off  the  stage. 

Recently  it  occurred  to  me,  from  opinions  expressed,  that  a wide 
publication  of  these  sketches  in  cheap  form  may  be  profitable  to 
our  “ American  Humane  Education  Society .” 

Accordingly  I transferred  the  electrotype  plates  to  the  society, 
and  had  two  thousand  copies  printed  from  them,  some  four  hundred 
of  which,  sent  out  at  a cost  to  the  society  of  about  twenty-five  dol- 
lars, brought  back  in  a few  days  gifts  to  the  amount  of  more  than 
fourteen  times  the  cost,  and  many  letters  speaking  of  the  deep  in- 
terest of  readers,  and  expressing  the  earnest  hope  that  they  may 
be  widely  circulated. 


OUR  AMERICAN  HUMANE  EDUCATION  SOCIETY.  37 


Various  autobiographies  have  been  recently  written  and  sold  at 
large  profit  to  their  writers. 

Frances  E.  Willard  has  given  the  profits  of  hers  to  the  “ Woman's 
Christian  Temperance  Union." 

I desire  to  give  the  profits  of  mine  to  the  u American  Humane 
Education  Society ,"  with  this  difference,  that  while  other  autobi- 
ographies have  been  sold,  I prefer  to  have  mine  given  away , trusting 
to  the  kind  generosity  of  those  who  receive  them  to  send  what  they 
can  to  aid  our  u American  Humane  Education  Society's  " humane  work 
now , and  hoping  they  will  so  provide  for  it  in  their  wills,  that  when 
I have  passed  off  the  stage  it  may  still  live  and  be  a great  power 
for  good  over  this  whole  continent  and  the  world. 

The  cost  of  this  book  to  those  who  care  to  pay  for  it,  is  six  cents 
per  copy  at  our  offices,  ten  cents  when  sent  by  mail.  It  contains  164 
pages  and  two  photographs  of  its  writer. 

Geo.  T.  Angell, 

President  of  the  American  Humane  Education  Society , the  Massachu- 
setts Society  for  the  Prevention  of  Cruelty  to  Animals,  and  the  Parent 
American  Band  of  Mercy,  19  Milk  Street,  Boston. 

Boston,  March  1,  1892. 


Rates  of  Membership  of  American  Humane 
Education  Society. 

Active  Life $100.00  I Associate  Annual  ....  $5.00 


Associate  Life 50.00  Children’s 1.00 

Active  Annual 10.00  | Branch  1.00 


All  members  of  the  American  Humane  Education  Society 
receive  “ Our  Dumb  Animals”  and  other  publications  free. 


Prices  of  Humane  Publications.  * 

The  following  publications  of  the  Massachusetts  Society  P.  C. 
Animals  can  be  obtained  at  our  offices  at  the  following  cost  prices, 
free  of  postage:  — 

Autobiographical  Sketches  and  Recollections,  by  Geo.  T.  Angell,  6 cents 


each  at  office,  or  10  cents  mailed. 

Address  to  Boston  Public  Schools,  by  Geo.  T.  Angell,  2 cents 

each,  or $2.00  per  100 

Humane  Leaflets,  Nos.  1 to  8,  by  Geo.  T.  Angell. 

Eight  of  either  No.  or  Nos.,  as  wanted,  5 cents;  twenty-four  for 
10  cents;  one  hundred,  25  cents. 

Bird  Leaflet,  by  Geo.  T.  Angell 25  per  100 

Twelve  Lessons  on  Kindness  to  Animals,  by  Geo.  T.  Angell, 

at  2 cents  for  the  whole  twelve  bound  together,  or  ...  . 2.00  per  100 

Care  of  Horses 45  “ 

Cattle  Transportation,  by  Geo.  T.  Angell 1.10  “ 

Protection  of  Animals,  by  Geo.  T.  Angell  . 1.50  “ 

Five  Questions  Answered,  by  Geo.  T.  Angell 50  “ 

The  Check-Rein,  by  Geo.  T.  Angell 60  “ 

The  Cruel  Over-check  Card  (two  sides! 15  “ 

How  to  Kill  Animals  Humanely,  by  Dr.  D.  D.  Slade  ....  1.00  “ 

Service  of  Mercy,  selections  from  Scripture,  etc 65  “ 

Band  of  Mercy  information,  by  Geo.  T.  Angell 1.00  “ 

Fifty-two  Band  of  Mercy  Songs  and  Hymns,  book  form,  two 

cents  for  the  whole,  or 2.00  “ 

Band  of  Mercy  Metal  Badges,  8 cents  each. 

Band  of  Merc"  Ribbon  Badges,  4 cents  each. 

Band  of  Mercj  Register,  8 cents. 

Band  of  Mercy  Cards  of  Membership,  2 cents  each. 


Condensed  Information,  an  eight-page  pamphlet  by  Geo.  T.  Angell,  In- 
cluding all  necessary  for  forming  Societies  for  the  Prevention  of  Cruelty  to 
Animals,  and  Bands  of  Mercy.  This,  as  well  as  the  address  of  Mr.  Angell  to 
the  National  Convention  of  the  Woman’s  Christian  Temperance  Union  at 
Nashville,  Tenn.,  we  send  without  cost  to  every  one  asking. 

The  above  can  be  had  in  smaller  numbers  at  the  same  rates. 


Our  Dumb  Animals. 

Published  on  the  first  Tuesday  of  each  month  by  the  Massachu- 
setts Society  for  the  Prevention  of  Cruelty  to  Animals. 

TERMS : 

Single  copies,  per  annum,  50  cents;  for  four  copies  and  below  ten,  45  cents; 
for  ten  and  below  twenty -five  copies,  40  cents;  for  twenty-five  and  below  fifty, 
35  cents;  for  fifty  and  below  one  hundred,  30 cents;  and  for  one  hundred  and 
more  copies,  as  now,  25  cents  each,  in  advance.  Postage  free  to  all  parts  of 
the  United  States. 


Articles  for  the  paper,  and  subscriptions,  may  be  sent  to  the  Editor, 
Goddard  Building,  19  Milk  Street,  cor.  Hawley,  Boston. 


Rates  oe  Society  Membership: 

Active  Life $100.00  I Associate  Annual $5.00 

Associate  Life 50.00  Children’s 1.00 

Active  Annual 10.00  | Branch 1.00 

AH  members  receive  Our  Dumb  Animals  free,  and  all  publications  of  the 
Society. 


Offices  of  the  Society: 

GODDARD  BUILDING,  19  MILK  STREET, 

Corner  Hawley  Street , BOSTON. 


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